Feb 20, 2009 - and became a securities broker at .... means. The room laughs in agreement. GORDON GEKKO (CONT'D) ... all
MONEY NEVER SLEEPS by Allan Loeb
TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX 10201 W. Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90035
February 20, 2009
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. COPYRIGHT 2009 TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATION. NO PORTION OF THIS SCRIPT MAY BE PERFORMED, PUBLISHED, REPRODUCED, SOLD OR DISTRIBUTED BY ANY MEANS, OR QUOTED OR PUBLISHED IN ANY MEDIUM, INCLUDING ANY WEB SITE, WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATION. DISPOSAL OF THIS SCRIPT COPY DOES NOT ALTER ANY OF THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE.
A BLACK SCREEN Onto which is written in white letters... “When business in the United States underwent a contraction... the Federal Reserve created more paper reserves. The excess credit spilled over into the market triggering a fantastic speculative boom... “ EXT.
CLINTON CORRECTIONAL FACILITY - DAY
It’s a summer day. The heat floats above the pavement. A cab waits in the lot. The large gates of New York’s largest prison open and today’s group of newly released emerge. They pass a guard who lifts up a copy of The USA Today to reveal the headlines and date that tells us it’s 2002. Amongst this group we find a man carrying a small duffel. And we know this man.
He is Gordon Gekko.
But he is not as slick as we remember... he doesn’t have that gleam in his eyes or that gel in his hair. No, this is a very different version of the man we remember... because now there’s nothing behind those eyes... nothing we can read anyway. And he just stands there... coldly watching his recently freed brethren greet their wives and children... reuniting with the people who waited for them... the people who love them. The cab slowly pulls up and Gordon holds up a finger... wait a minute. He glares over to the entrance of the lot... waiting for his people... but they don’t come. And the cab waits... Gordon stands there... in the heat... completely disappointed... and completely alone. And we... SLAM BACK INTO As the white letters reappear on the screen... “As a result... the American economy collapsed... Taken from an article about the pre-crash 1929... ... written by Alan Greenspan.” JACOB (V.O.) It’s funny, the more we find ourselves slaves of chance... the more superstitious we become.
2.
SLAM INTO: A MANHATTAN MORNING A gorgeous June Friday. JACOB (V.O.) (CONT’D) And that would make Andrew Zabel one superstitious motherfucker. Find ANDREW ZABEL, mid 50s, shaved-head and in good shape. JACOB (V.O.) (CONT’D) He started every day the same exact way. He would walk his dogs then leave his Gramercy Park condo at seven am on the dot. As Andrew leaves 36 East Gramercy Park East, an impressive building made of white stone. Andrew wears a suit and holds an umbrella. JACOB (V.O.) (CONT’D) And he would take an umbrella with him even when there was no chance of rain... As Andrew heads to a newsstand and throws the INDIAN CLERK a familiar nod. And without saying a word, the clerk knows exactly what to give him. JACOB (V.O.) (CONT’D) He’d buy a journal, a tin of chocolate Altoids and a cold bottle of Poland Springs water. 23RD ST SUBWAY STATION As Andrew bounds down the stairs and through the gate... JACOB (V.O.) (CONT’D) He had timed it out so he wouldn’t have to wait more than three minutes for the uptown five train. As Andrew emerges out to the platform and sees the headlight from the 5 train coming down the tunnel. JACOB (V.O.) (CONT’D) I guess you could say that day was like every other... And as the train approaches... holding that Wall Street Journal... the bottle of water and that tin of Altoids... JACOB (V.O.) (CONT’D) Except for one thing... ... Andrew Zabel simply steps forward and falls onto the track.
3.
And as the train SLAMS into US... DARKNESS Which holds for an uncomfortably long moment, then... “Money Never Sleeps” graces the screen... and we move down below the letters to find... A CHART Now filling the screen. It’s of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. It’s for the year 2008 and it’s down to the right... not good. A circle marks Friday June 13th. Follow a blue line back three days and stop. Another circle is now formed and Matthew Good’s “Giant” rings out... CARD:
JUNE 6th 2008... 8 DAYS EARLIER...
MIDTOWN Opening titles... the workplace throng... listening to their iPods, checking their Blackberrys and sipping their Starbucks. Move with this throng, to the Matthew Good tune, under the opening titles, past 745 Seventh Avenue, the Lehman Brothers building... with that giant ticker that rounds the building posting Dow 12,579.76 -- +119.86 And keep moving... all is normal in the financial center of the universe. Land on a impressive modern building made of glass and steel then climb up it to the top... to the penthouse office suites. And push in through the window to be in... INT.
KELLER, ZABEL INVESTMENTS/ANDREW ZABEL’S OFFICE - DAY
An impressive office with a 180 degree view of southern Manhattan. Zabel sits behind his desk. ZABEL Go ahead, open it. And across from Andrew Zabel sits JACOB L. MOORE... who holds his bonus check. Really?
JACOB
On the wall over Zabel’s shoulder runs an electronic ticker with the major indices and just one stock... ticker KZI... Keller Zabel Investments.
4.
JACOB (CONT’D) I thought that because of the problems with the credi-ZABEL Screw the credit derivative desk, I don’t understand half the shit they do anyway. Zabel forces a smile. with him.
But Jacob can tell something’s wrong
JACOB Are you okay? Zabel doesn’t answer... he just nods to the envelope. Open it.
ZABEL
He opens the envelope and looks down at the check. $1,450,000. And he can barely contain his excitement. Thank you.
JACOB
And we get a good look at Jacob now... boyish features that display humility with a trace of mischievousness thrown in. He’s definitely sexy, definitely cerebral and definitely winning. ZABEL I’m proud of you, Jacob. And Jacob tries to play it cool as he looks up at the electronic ticker on the wall... 12,592.46 -- +132.46... KZI $71.67... +$3.12. CLOSE ON A RING SALESMAN (V.O.) Princess cut, platinum banded, five carat, completely colorless round center stone with a medium girdle and excellent polish. Pull back to be in... INT.
TIFFANY’S - DAY
Jacob inspects the ring then looks up to the fey salesman. JACOB Yeah, it’s nice. But here’s the thing... He looks around the store for a moment, then...
5.
JACOB (CONT’D) I want to see the “fuck you” room. SALESMAN The “fuck you” room? JACOB Yes. The room where you sell me a fuck you ring for fuck you money. SALESMAN The private client foyer. And with a big smile... JACOB What did I say? INT.
JACOB’S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Two bedroom in a Murray Hill high rise. Jacob watches Fox Business on his tv. A much nicer, much bigger, much flatter plasma sits against the wall under it waiting to be installed. A promo plays for a magazine show being narrated by Cody Willard. CODY WILLARD (ON TV) Tomorrow night we explore the excesses of hedge fund managers. Different pictures flash on the screen of private jets, massive mansions, expensive watches and wines. CODY WILLARD (ON TV) (CONT’D) Whether they’re spraying $5000 a bottle champagne at Voile Rouge in Saint-Tropez, ordering a $10,000 Martini at The Algonquian Hotel with a diamond on the bottom or eating a gold dusted $175 hamburger at the Wall Street Burger Shoppe... Now the flashes are of some of the top HEDGE FUND MANAGERS in the business that we’ll see later... one of them is a man named BRETTON WOODS... maybe we hold a little longer on him to get a good look... Mid 40s, good looking and refined. CODY WILLARD (ON TV) (CONT’D) ... these cowboys of finance always seem to land on their feet. Jacob lets out a little laugh and mutes the tv. He grabs the phone and makes a call...
6.
JACOB (into phone) I know you’re at the fund raiser tonight but I wanted to say hi. (beat) Okay, best part... getting my bonus check. Worst part... He grabs a framed picture of her and looks at it. She’s in workout gear, wearing earbuds, obviously just off a run, caught off guard and thus flipping him the finger... it’s adorable. JACOB (CONT’D) (into phone) ... it was right after I ordered lunch and I remembered that we’re not seeing each other this weekend. And he finishes his message to her... JACOB (CONT’D) (into phone) Okay, text me yours and I’ll read them in my sleep. I love you. As Jacob disconnects and looks out the window... looking out at Third Avenue twinkling up into Midtown. AND WERE BACK ON THE CHART Where the blue line travels down the Dow trend line, down and to the right then stops on Thurs June 12th. CARD: INT.
6 DAYS LATER KELLER, ZABEL INVESTMENTS/TRADING FLOOR -
MORNING
A large space lined with long desks that hold five TRADERS each. Each trader has two phones and three huge monitors in front of them. It’s loud and frenetic. Most of the traders are under thirtyfive, it’s a young person’s game. Jacob heads in and takes his seat at his desk. It’s larger than the others and anchors the room... this is his domain. Fox Business plays on each of the screens that line the space ubiquitous. (A note, when possible, business news will be droning from television sets throughout this movie in bg... as it is the current soundtrack of New York these days) A trader named WILLY shouts out... WILLY Jake, Glass Works is up nine points on earnings, you want to unload some?
7.
Jacob confirms... JACOB Yeah, let’s get closer to home. A trader named AUDRY turns to Jacob. AUDRY (to Jacob, re Willy) Where’s his hat? Willy glares at her. WILLY Mind your own business, Audry. AUDRY I had to wear Pfizer on my forehead for a full week... so post it up, bitch. Willy pleads with Jacob... WILLY C’mon Jake, it’s embarrassing. Jacob just shrugs... JACOB The stock goes down, you wear the crown... them’s the rules. Audry grins in victory. Willy shakes his head, grabs a marker, scribbles something down on a post-it then places it on his forehead. It reads “I bought Toll Brothers at $24” and he has to wear it all week. And Jacob laughs... now looking up at the electronic ticker... KZI $60.21... -$2.25... INT.
ONE OAK - NIGHT
An ultra exclusive club reserved for Wall Street money-men, Hollywood players, gangstas and supermodels. TI’s “Whatever You Like” blares. The dance floor is packed with New York’s privileged draped in Prada and dripped in sweat. Jacob heads a table of five men who are all in suits. They are all in various areas of finance... a HEDGE FUND Portfolio Manager, a DERIVATIVES TRADER, a PRIVATE EQUITY CFO and a QUANT ANALYST. The quant stares at a HIGH CLASS CALL GIRL working the room across the way. He then turns back to the guys with...
8.
QUANT ANALYST Girl like that cost a thousand bucks last year... now it’s up to five. JACOB Getting priced out of the hooker bubble? Confirming in frustration... QUANT ANALYST Goddamn bull market’s killing my sex life. They all laugh. HEDGE FUND PM Don’t worry... it’s not such a bull market anymore. She’ll be trading at five hundred soon enough. The laughter dies down. DERIVATIVES TRADER (turning to Jacob) It’s true. I’m actually shocked KZI gave you a bonus of that size. Why?
JACOB
Private Equity CFO nudges Hedge Fund PM in reference to the woman who just took the seat at the next table... HEDGE FUND PM (dismissive) Yeah, I’m going long Boeing. PRIVATE EQUITY CFO Oh, I didn’t notice. Confused... Really?
QUANT ANALYST The 787 is having problems.
As Hedge Fund PM opens a bottle of Krug, Clos du Mesnil 1995 and pours it into the flutes. JACOB (to Derivatives Trader) Why? Why are you so shocked? Offering Jacob a flute... HEDGE FUND PM Because they’re in serious trouble. Declining the champagne...
9.
JACOB We’re not in serious trouble. It’s a rumor. A woman takes the table next to them and this makes Derivatives Trader perk up and say. DERIVATIVES TRADER I think Goodyear Tire is definitely a buy. Hedge Fund PM checks out the woman. Totally.
HEDGE FUND PM And those tires are real.
Even more confused... Goodyear?
QUANT ANALYST The chart is horrible.
PRIVATE EQUITY CFO Somebody color the quant in here. Hedge Fund PM leans into Quant and explains... HEDGE FUND PM Boeing, ticker BA... Big Ass. Goodyear, ticker GT... Great Tits. QUANT ANALYST (realizing...) Oh, it’s like a code. And Private Equity CFO turns to Jacob with... QUANT ANALYST (CONT’D) You guys were down three points in an up market today. JACOB Whatever, somebody was adding to their short. As a supermodel now joins the next table. HEDGE FUND PM Going long Starwood.
DERIVATIVES TRADER Starwood’s a buy!
QUANT ANALYST (figuring it out) Starwood, ticker HOT. Yeah but... I’m more a buyer of... (thinks for a minute) GDFS. PRIVATE EQUITY CFO What the fuck is that?
10.
QUANT ANALYST It’s an exchange traded fund that tracks the Guinian Franc. HEDGE FUND PM Okay, whatever -- what’s it code for? And Quant looks over to the model then back proudly with... QUANT ANALYST Gold Digger Freak Show. The guys just shake their heads... EXT.
LOWER BROADWAY - NIGHT
Jacob and Derivatives Trader enjoy the summer night. Out of all the guys, he’s closest to Jacob. His name is Robby. JACOB Can I ask you something, Robby? Robby nods. JACOB (CONT’D) What’s your number? Huh?
ROBBY
JACOB You know what I mean. The amount of money you would need to fuck it all and walk away... if you wanted to. ROBBY Do you want to walk away? JACOB Not now. But one day... I don’t know. When I have a family. It’s just so consuming... so many marriages get fucked up-ROBBY Wall Street divorce lawyers do great in any market. JACOB Exactly. (beat) I’ve thought about it. What I would need... to raise a family, live a good life, be secure. It’s not as much as we would think if you move out of New York. And it dawns on Robby...
11.
ROBBY Aha... when did you buy the ring? Jacob smiles at his friend’s perception. Last week.
JACOB
ROBBY So when are you going to ask her? JACOB I’m going to DC this weekend. ROBBY Good. I like her for you. She’s one of the good ones... (beat) Did you hear what her father said on Charlie Rose? Jacob shakes his head. ROBBY (CONT’D) Something about Bear Stearns being the first rain drop of the impending mother of all storms. JACOB Sour grapes. ROBBY He’s speaking at Columbia on Friday. If it’s slow enough, a few of us might play hookie and check it out... he’s the best show in town. And they continue to walk, until... JACOB Tell me what you hear. Robby slowly nods... ROBBY I don’t think you want to hear it, bro. You worship Zabel and it’s not good. JACOB I don’t worship him. He’s done a lot for me and I’ve known him a long time. But he’s been acting strange lately. (beat) Just tell me what you hear. ROBBY That Keller Zabel is holding toxic waste they can’t find a market for.
12.
Jacob shakes his head... JACOB It’s not true. It’s rumors. There are hedge funds with huge short positions... ROBBY Jacob, you know better. You know it doesn’t matter if they’re rumors or not. And Robby stops walking. ROBBY (CONT’D) Senior year I couldn’t get my mind around how all those dot coms with no earnings were worth billions of dollars and you were the one who said something that made it all clear for me. JACOB I don’t remember. Turning to Jacob with... ROBBY “An asset’s value can only be priced at its perception.” JACOB I said that? Robby confirms... then... ROBBY So buddy -- it don’t matter if the rumors are true or not. Because in this climate... if they exist at all... then most likely... Looking his friend head on... ROBBY (CONT’D) ... you’re going to cease to. EXT. 533 THIRD AVENUE - MORNING Jacob leaves his Murray Hill building apartment and nods to his doorman, DIEGO. DIEGO J to the Acob -- morning to you, brother. Jacob smiles... Diego...
JACOB
13.
And Jacob waits for the morning joke. DIEGO Okay, what’s the best aphrodisiac on Wall Street? JACOB I don’t know. Jet fuel. Diego cracks up.
DIEGO Jacob just shakes his head and moves on.
And Jacob walks uptown... deep in thought. June Friday.
It’s a gorgeous
Suddenly, Jacob just stops walking and stands there for a long moment... coming to a decision. And as Jacob turns around and starts heading the other way... INT.
36 GRAMERCY PARK EAST/LOBBY - MORNING
Jacob smiles to the doorman. JACOB I’m here to see Andrew Zabel. DOORMAN Is he expecting you? No. INT.
JACOB
LOBBY - MOMENTS LATER
The elevator opens and Andrew Zabel appears with two adorable Bichon Frise puppies. Jacob stands. Jacob...
ZABEL
JACOB Andy. I’m sorry to come by like this but the rumors are now hitting a fever pitch and I wanted to make sure everything was okay. Zabel nods and heads for the door. Come on... EXT.
ZABEL
GRAMERCY PARK - MORNING
As they enter through the gates of the park and walk...
14.
JACOB Is everything okay? And Andrew Zabel doesn’t seem all there... introspective and blank. ZABEL I remember when the starter gave me this bushy hair twelve year old kid and I said; “Donny, what the fuck -give me a real caddy.” And he said; “This kid’s the best.” Andy--
JACOB
ZABEL And you were. You had the wind down, the grade of every green. JACOB What’s going on? ZABEL But you wouldn’t shut up about stocks. Twelve years old and you blabbed on and on about companies and sectors and earnings. JACOB Andy, are we going under? ZABEL What was that piece of shit you loved? That airline equipment supplier who was branching out into car airbags-JACOB Flour Controls. Are you okay? Zabel laughs. ZABEL Flour Controls... what a dog. JACOB Why did you give me that bonus? Zabel stops walking and faces Jacob with... ZABEL Because I know you, Jacob. And I know you’ve been holding off because you didn’t think you had enough. We all do that... postpone life until we believe we have what it takes to actually live it.
15.
JACOB There isn’t a better money-runner on the street... we’ll get through this. ZABEL Marry her, Jacob. And have children with her and spend as much time as you can with them... and never forget that that’s what’s important. And Jacob L. Moore... looking his boss head on... JACOB Andrew, if there’s anyway I can help -give back the bonus -- whatever... all you have to do is say the word. And Zabel just looks away... ZABEL There’s just so much you don’t know, Jacob. INT.
KELLER, ZABEL INVESTMENTS/TRADING FLOOR - DAY
The normally very loud and frenetic place is very quiet and sober today. They all watch Alexis Glick report... ALEXIS GLICK (ON THE TVS) Rumors of insolvency have hit the street concerning KZI’s books and they’re shooting first then asking questions later. The stock is now trading just a bit over thirty one dollars a share, down almost forty four percent on the session. And standing in the center of the floor, watching this... JACOB Stunned... horrified... his universe becoming unglued. And he turns to Audry... helpless and in shock. JACOB Who did this to us? She can only shrug... tears in her eyes. Jacob shifts his gaze over to the trading floor’s electronic ticker on the wall... KZI $26.34... -$29.57. And he moves for the elevator banks... unable to take it anymore. EXT.
MIDTOWN -DAY
Furious, Jacob walks down 6th ave with his phone to his ear.
16.
JACOB Andrew, call me back. I’m going to find out who did this to us. I swear to God... if it’s the last thing I do. (beat) We’re going to bounce back from this. And we’re going to find out who spread the rumor... and then we’re going to destroy them. He disconnects the call and keeps walking. After a beat, with his anger brewing... Jacob SLAMS his phone down on the ground and it shatters. INT.
JACOB’S APARTMENT - DAY
Jacob lays on his couch vacantly pondering the ceiling. Fox Business plays on the new plasma tv on the wall... footage of THE GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK, a tough looking man in his 40s, speaking to the press outside of The State Capitol. GOVERNOR (FOOTAGE) I don’t know anything about the solvency of Keller Zabel. I do know that what’s bringing down the stock at this precise moment are rumors. And this practice of short selling American financial institutions then floating rumors in order to profit from them must be stopped. The uptick rule must be reinstated. Jacob glares over to the tv. GOVERNOR (FOOTAGE) (CONT’D) And once again, I will point to largely unregulated world of hedge funds... an ever-growing and increasing powerful area of the market that I repeatedly tried to regulate as Chairman of the SEC... And there’s a loud knock on the door.
Jacob ignores it.
GOVERNOR (FOOTAGE) (CONT’D) And the collapse of this legendary New York financial institution is why I continue to fight that battle as Governor of this great state. Another knock... this time louder. What? From the door...
JACOB
Jacob mutes the tv.
17.
ROBBY (shouting) Jacob... answer the door. Jacob gets up, moves slowly and answers the door. ROBBY (CONT’D) You weren’t answering your phone. It broke.
JACOB
Robby sharply nods. Dude...
ROBBY
He stops short... swallows... What?
JACOB
ROBBY I just found this out and it hasn’t hit the press yet. Once again... he stops short and looks away in frustration. What? say?
JACOB Robby, what are you trying to
ROBBY Andrew Zabel threw himself in front of the subway this morning. Jacob just stands in that doorway. Absolutely frozen. INT.
No reaction at all.
JACOB’S APARTMENT - MOMENTS LATER
Jacob now stands in the center of his apartment. Completely in shock. As he looks to the plasma... Fox Business on mute. Brian Sullivan reporting under the graphic KZI $19.34... $37.28. He glares at it for a long moment, then... almost calmly picks up a chair and throws it into the tv... which shatters. And Jacob... not sure what to do. Until... he turns and sees... on the dresser... a gorgeous engagement ring sitting in an open box... a fuck you ring. EXT.
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY/CAMPUS - DAY
As Jacob bounds the steps of the Business School and heads into the old stone building.
18.
INT. COLUMBIA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS/URIS LECTURE HALL - DAY The lecture hall is packed with wall to wall students. stands at the back.
Jacob
A PROFESSOR is at the podium. PROFESSOR Our speaker today has quite a checkered background in the world of finance. Some laughter from the room. PROFESSOR (CONT’D) He graduated from City College in 1966 and became a securities broker at Hudson River Bank then moved on to Smith Barney. In 1973 he went out on his own to establish a spectacular career as a independent trader then an active participant in the LBO craze of the 1980s. (beat) In 1988, he was indicted for insider trading and then charged with other various forms of securities fraud and IRS violations. In one of the most harshest sentences ever given to a white collar criminal... he served fourteen years in a maximum security prison and he wants me to stress that it was not a country club. Again laughter from the floor. PROFESSOR (CONT’D) Since his release in 2002, he has written and has spoken publicly about what he refers to as the current state of the world economy. He is not allowed to trade on the US exchanges. His new book “Moral Hazard! Why Wall Street Has Finally Gone Too Far.” comes out in October. (beat) Please welcome... Gordon Gekko! The room applauds... and out to the podium slowly walks... GORDON GEKKO No swagger in his step... not in a suit... hair not slicked back... but still looks fucking good. As he waits for the applause to wind down... and even a little longer... surveying every corner of the large room... commanding its full attention... getting it... holding the silence... until finally... he leans into the mic and says...
19.
GORDON GEKKO You’re all pretty much fucked. The room breaks into laughter... Gordon smiles and waits for it to die down. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) What’s not funny is what’s happening out there. I don’t think people get it. And I know the financial center of the world doesn’t get it... which happens to be Washington DC now. As he takes to a pace... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) To understand where we are, we need to understand how we got here. No good deed goes unpunished, all fires start with a well meaning spark and we wanted Americans to be able to afford homes. Sounds nice enough... lets try to get the middle and lower classes into homes they can own. So we made money cheap and lowered restrictions on mortgage lending. As he takes a moment and looks over the room... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) Somebody reminded me the other night that I once said “greed is good.” I swear I don’t remember it but it sounds like something I would say in the Eighties. (beat) And I was right then. Greed was good. America needed greed and risk-taking and leverage to get to become the superpower we are... or were. And capitalism needed greed and risk and leverage to become the economic platform it has become... but those same attributes that got us there are now the liabilities that threaten to destroy us. Jacob’s blackberry vibrates and he checks it. “KZI!!! -- wtf?” GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) So greed has been redefined. Who knows -- maybe it was always like this and like everything else in this world, it’s good and it is evil. Taking a moment to survey the room...
He has a text.
20.
GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) Because people -- it’s greed that caused someone who aspires to own a seven-hundred thousand dollar house they can't afford, to take on a loan they’ll never be able to pay back... and it’s greed that caused their mortgage lender to give them that loan then sell it right away... and it’s greed that caused the buyer of that loan to slice it into a million little pieces then spit them all over the world... and it’s greed that caused the rating agency to give that toxic loan a triple-A rating just because it was mixed in with some good loans... and it’s greed that caused the insurance company to insure that loan. Jacob quickly glances down again at his blackberry and checks the quote, KZI $14.53. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) They were insuring the end of the world; “When the world explodes... just find us in the rubble and we’ll be sure to pay your claim.” Drawing in a deep breath... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) CMO’s, CLO’s, CBO’s, CDO’s, CDS’s, SPE’s, ABCP’s,SIV’s, REMIC’s, CMBS’s, toxic traunches, ninja loans, credit default swaps, affinity marketing, stapled financing, synthetic securitization. (beat) Maybe I was in prison too long but I have no idea what half that shit means. The room laughs in agreement. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) And I’m considered a pretty smart guy when it comes to finance! And Jacob’s blackberry vibrates again. This time he removes it from his pocket, doesn’t check it and simply turns it off. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) And if I know our central bank -which I do -- I predict it’s going to throw gasoline on this fire with more cheap money and federal bailouts and head-in-the-sand manipulated statistics on productivity and inflation. And Gordon stops pacing... takes a moment for effect.
21.
Then sums it all up with... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) So no good deed goes unpunished and all fires start with a well-meaning spark and when you take free money and no lending standards then add it with unaccountable risk and ungodly leverage and unbridled greed... what you end up with is cancer. And Gordon takes in a deep breath... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) Systemic, malignant and global. Now the room is completely silent. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) Do they still have the V&T restaurant on Amsterdam? Is that still there? A stunned girl in the front row shakes her head. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) (with a smile) God, I loved their pizza. INT.
URIS HALLWAY - DAY
Jacob looks on as Gordon is surrounded by professors and students alike... GORDON GEKKO (announcing to the throng) I’ll give you six minutes then I really have to go. EXT.
URIS HALL - EXACTLY 6 MINUTES LATER
Gordon quickly walks out with his PUBLISHER, a woman in her 40s and heads into the quad. Jacob immediately matches their stride. JACOB Mr. Gekko, can I speak to you for a moment? As he keeps walking... GORDON GEKKO You’re too late, Sport... Q&A’s over. JACOB My name is Jacob Moore and I’m dating your daughter. (and then) I’m going to ask her to marry me. And this makes Gordon stop and finally face Jacob with...
22.
GORDON GEKKO I’ll give you nine minutes. EXT.
112TH STREET - MOMENTS LATER
As Gordon and Jacob leave the campus and take to the street. GORDON GEKKO Keller, Zabel? Then you have my apologies. Yeah...
JACOB
GORDON GEKKO Stock’s in a free fall. My guess is that it just lost its Bar Mitzvah... Jacob quickly takes out his blackberry, turns it on and checks to see Gordon’s right... KZI... $12.54. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) By the end of the day it might not even be potty trained. And Jacob looks at him. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) I might not be allowed to trade, Jake, but I still love to watch from home. JACOB Andrew Zabel took me under his wing when I was in high school. He basically got me my scholarship to Yale then hired me right out of business school. GORDON GEKKO Andrew’s smart, he beats the benchmarks consistently. He’ll land on his feet. He’s dead.
JACOB
And Gordon stops walking and regards Jacob. JACOB (CONT’D) He killed himself this morning. As that registers... GORDON GEKKO I’m sorry to hear that. JACOB He was a father to me.
Who confirms...
23.
And Jacob coldly shakes it off then sucks in a deep breath and looks into Gordon’s eyes... genuine and lofty... JACOB (CONT’D) I love your daughter very much and I would be honored if... And realizing what this is... Gordon starts to laugh... which throws Jacob off. JACOB (CONT’D) ... you would bless-- I really don’t understand what you find so funny. GORDON GEKKO My daughter hasn’t spoken to me for eleven years and you know it. She blames me for her brother’s overdose and every other disaster that’s fallen upon the world since the mid-nineties. (beat) And by the way, isn’t it strange that Winnie would date a guy from the street? What?
JACOB
GORDON GEKKO She hates me. And she hates Wall Street and everything it represents... so don’t you find it curious that she would fall in love with you? And that slams into Jacob... who’s frozen for a beat. Jacob finally snaps out of it then joins Gordon. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) So you want my blessing? Yes.
JACOB
GORDON GEKKO I guess I should know a little about you first. Where did you grow up? Matinecock.
JACOB
GORDON GEKKO I’m impressed. JACOB It wasn’t like that. I mean we didn’t have much money. My mother was a tailor.
24.
GORDON GEKKO And your father... what did he do? Disappear.
JACOB
And Gordon regards Jacob for a long moment, taking him in, until... Clever.
GORDON GEKKO
Jacob looks down the street. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) What are you looking for? JACOB Your town car. With a laugh... GORDON GEKKO Well, pal... As Gordon pats Jacob on the back... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) ... then you’re going to be looking for quite awhile. ... and heads for the subway. INT.
110TH STREET SUBWAY STATION - DAY
Gordon takes out his wallet and produces his metrocard. Jacob notices a picture of Winnie in the wallet. JACOB (re picture) Can I see that? Gordon shrugs and shows the picture to Jacob. It’s of a young Winnie and younger Gordon on the back of a gorgeous white horse. GORDON GEKKO She was eight in that one. taken in Egypt.
It was
JACOB Can I... have it? (explaining) She doesn’t keep pictures from her childhood. Gordon slowly nods.
25.
GORDON GEKKO What do I get in return? JACOB You... wanna make a trade? And Gordon thinks about, then... GORDON GEKKO Yes. I’ll give you this picture and in return... I’d like a picture of Winnie... taken recently... without you in it. JACOB I don’t have one on me. Gordon sighs, takes the picture out of his wallet and hands it to Jacob. GORDON GEKKO Then I’ll give you this one on margin. PLATFORM As they wait for the train... Jacob produces the ring box and opens it to show Gordon the ring. JACOB I really did come to ask for your blessing. GORDON GEKKO No, you didn’t. Nice ring... As the train arrives... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) It’s so typical. (inside of an ironic laugh) Levered to the hilt... and with the ship going down... As he gets on... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) ... they still gave you a bonus. INT.
THE DOWNTOWN 3 TRAIN - DAY
Gordon stares at a one sheet advertisement on the wall. And he doesn’t look at Jacob when he says... GORDON GEKKO Don’t play me, Jake. You don’t think I can see it in your eyes? You don’t think I know that look? (beat) (MORE)
26. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) I know it by sight, Kid... because I lived it for years. Christ, I can even smell it on you. JACOB Smell what on me? Revenge.
GORDON GEKKO
Jacob just looks away. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) Some hedgehog said bad things about your company. It caused the stock to plummet and made those bad things become true. And Jacob now sees the poster that has Gordon’s attention. It features a pile of money being blown out the window under the caption that reads... “If this looks familiar to you... it’s because you’re renting!” GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) The man you loved like a father threw himself in front of the uptown five this morning and you want to bring that hedgehog to their knees. JACOB You knew he was dead? “Guardian Mortgage... Low down payments... Adjustable rates.” GORDON GEKKO Like I said -- I still love to watch from home. And now Gordon turns to face Jacob with... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) So don’t insult me by pretending to ask for Winnifred’s hand when what you really want to know is who to bring down to their knees and how to do it. And Jacob swallows that back... doesn’t argue it. I know who. Really?
JACOB GORDON GEKKO
JACOB It was either Nassim Tariq from the Frontier Fund, Bretton Woods from Locust or Karen Molina from ESL.
27.
GORDON GEKKO Does Winnie even know you came to see me? JACOB Well, not exactly. (then) But I’m going to tell her. GORDON GEKKO Not such a grand idea, Pal. Off Jacob’s confusion... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) See, I have a feeling you’re going to want to see me again. And if you tell her we had this little pow-wow... she’s not going to let that happen. As Jacob considers that... the train slows to a stop. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) Look, you seem like a smart kid. (beat) Walk away, dust off your resume and get another job... As he steals one last glance at that Guardian Mortgage ad... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) ... but do it quick. And with that, Gordon moves for the doors. But Jacob steps in front of him. JACOB I’m going to bring them down. Whoever floated the rumor for a quick buck. GORDON GEKKO It’s not worth it. It’s a waste of energy and time. See, Jacob, nobody gets it... they never did. As the subway doors open... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) If there’s one thing I learned in prison it’s that money is not the prime commodity in our lives... time is. (beat) And your nine minutes are up. And Gordon Gekko gets off the subway... leaving Jacob on the train. But right before the doors close, Gordon stops and turns with...
28.
GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) There are worse ways to go than jumping in front of a train. For instance, could you imagine taking something for your diabetes... As the doors close... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) .. and end up having it cause you to die of acute pancreatitis? And as the subway pulls out of the station, Jacob Moore just stands there... holding the pole and wondering what the hell that was supposed to mean. EXT.
ANDREW ZABEL’S MATINECOCK, LONG ISLAND HOME - DAY
A Victorian Estate on a bluff. Zabel’s funeral in progress. Hundreds of people made it out from the city. All types. PRIEST Andrew didn’t have children, so he made all you -- all of us -- his children. (beat) And to list Andrew Zabel’s many accomplishments would take me far too long to enumerate, but if you just look around you, you’ll see those accomplishments in the faces of the many people gathered here today. And we pan the procession of mourners... past... PRIEST (CONT’D) The alumni of the Morris High School class of 1997... who -- through the adopt a grade program -- Andrew pledged to pay the college educations of every member who graduated and got accepted into a University. ... past... PRIEST (CONT’D) The members of the Saint Helena Symphony, who Andrew provided emergency funding for when they were facing extinction. (beat) And the many, many, other recipients of Andrew Zabel’s generosity. ... and past... PRIEST (CONT’D) Those who were left behind... those who were overlooked... those who otherwise would never have stood a chance.
29.
And we land on Jacob L. Moore... PRIEST (CONT’D)(O.S) Above being just a great financial mind... or a great husband... He wears a dark suit... and a blank expression... PRIEST (CONT’D) (O.S.) ... or a great father... or a great neighbor... or a great friend... ... with nothing but cold retribution in his eyes. PRIEST (CONT’D) (O.S.) ... Andrew Zabel was a great man. INT.
POOL HOUSE - DAY
Most of the guests across the pool eat and quietly mill about. We’re with Jacob, Willy, Audry and another trader named DANIEL. AUDRY Two dollars a share? WILLY The Fed didn’t give us a choice. Jacob walks around the room... taking in the pictures of Andrew Zabel’s life... AUDRY Does that include the building? DANIEL What about the Zabel’s institutional managed fund? How much is in that? WILLY Eight billion. AUDRY And that’s all intact. DANIEL Jesus, United Bancorp made out like a bandit. WILLY We could’ve handled it at $60 a share or even $50. He just shakes his head... WILLY (CONT’D) It was that fucking rumor. It was so well timed. And the market doesn’t care... shoot first, ask later.
30.
Lemmings.
DANIEL
AUDRY (ominously) United has a huge trading desk. DANIEL Yeah, we’re all out of a job. Jacob pulls away from the wall of pictures... JACOB My mother was a tailor. They all look at him. JACOB (CONT’D) Out of our house less than five miles from here. AUDRY You’re from Matinecock? I thought you didn’t grow up with mon-Jacob confirms... JACOB We weren’t rich. Everyone else was. (beat) She altered their clothes and I carried their golf clubs. And Jacob looks at a picture of Andrew Zabel one more time... JACOB (CONT’D) He gave me a seat at the table. ... and goes. EXT.
ANDREW ZABEL’S HOME - DAY
Jacob heads for the main house. He sees BARBARA ZABEL, Andrew’s wife, sitting next to the some friends. Jacob slowly walks over and when she sees him... she stands... wobbly and full of tears. Jacob...
BARBARA
Jacob takes her into his embrace... BARBARA (CONT’D) (through her sobs) You were a son to him... Squeezing her tight... fighting back a rush of emotion.
31.
JACOB I was a fucked up kid, I was angry, my mother couldn’t control me. He was the only one who cared. I wouldn’t be anywhere right now if it wasn’t for... And Jacob Moore stops short... finally breaking down... allowing his own tears to stream down his face. He pulls away... JACOB (CONT’D) If you need anything. She nods. And Jacob moves away from the people and moves across the lawn. But he stops when he sees a woman standing across the way... we’ve seen pictures of her. She’s in her late-twenties with a natural beauty that might take two glances to notice. But after that second glance... it’s unforgettable. She’s WINNIE GEKKO. As she rushes to him... WINNIE Jacob, I’m so sorry. (beat) Why didn’t you tell me? JACOB Lehigh had the committee hearings and I knew he would need you and I didn’t want to-WINNIE That’s not how this works. And she looks into his eyes. WINNIE (CONT’D) Jacob, that’s not how this works. He nods.
Regards her for a beat, then...
JACOB Will you marry me? What?
WINNIE
JACOB I got a ring. Not on me, but-WINNIE Are you proposing to me at a funeral? Yeah.
JACOB
32.
And then... JACOB (CONT’D) I had a whole thing I was going to do in DC but seeing you... the words just kind of fell out of my mouth... I don’t know. WINNIE He would’ve loved you doing this here. Jacob agrees. And she softly kisses him and squeezes him tight... tears in her eyes. WINNIE (CONT’D) Yes... I’ll marry you, Jacob. Hugging her back. JACOB By the way, I don’t have a job anymore. Awesome.
WINNIE
AND THAT FUCK YOU RING Glittering in all its glory.
Pull back to be in...
JACOB’S APARTMENT Winnie looks up from the ring. WINNIE (CONT’D) It’s beautiful. Yeah...
JACOB
WINNIE It’s too expensive. No.
We’ll return it.
JACOB
WINNIE Jacob I don’t care about what ring you give me. You know that. JACOB We’re not taking it back. I worked hard for that ring and I want you to wear it. She regards him... he’s serious. Okay.
WINNIE
33.
He moves to her... takes the ring and places it on her finger. Then Jacob pulls her into his kiss... it’s almost violent. She’s taken off guard. And as they fall into each other then back onto the bed... INT.
KELLER, ZABEL INVESTMENTS/TRADING FLOOR - DAY
The whole floor is dead.
The tvs are off.
Jacob cleans out his desk, Audry cleans hers out as well across the way. Jacob wipes his forehead and glances up at the large letters on the wall “Keller, Zabel Investments.” And he shakes his head in anger and frustration... Hey Audry.
JACOB
She looks up. JACOB (CONT’D) You cover pharm and biotech. I did.
AUDRY
JACOB Who are the big players in diabetes treatments? AUDRY Lilly, Abbot, OSI, Inverness. JACOB Is anyone riding on something in phase three? AUDRY Few midcaps maybe. check? He nods.
You want me to
She turns on her computer and takes a seat.
AUDRY (CONT’D) Oh, this takes me back to when I had a job... He stands over her shoulder. AUDRY (CONT’D) Yeah, Amlyn pharmaceuticals has Byetta going in front of the FDA next month. I remember this... (MORE)
34. AUDRY (CONT’D) they pulled it during phase two because some of the test subjects died but they’ve obviously solved those problems now. JACOB How did they die? AUDRY I don’t remember. JACOB Pancreatitis? Yeah.
AUDRY That was it.
Jacob shakes his head... JACOB How did he know? Who?
AUDRY
Without answering her... JACOB Can you look up large institutional ownership? AUDRY Mutual or hedge? Hedge.
JACOB
AUDRY Locust Fund owns a shitload. And she looks over to Jacob with... AUDRY (CONT’D) Bretton Woods. As he takes in that information... JACOB Want your severance, Audry? And he kisses her on the forehead... JACOB (CONT’D) Short Amlyn pharmaceuticals. ... and goes.
35.
INT.
CHRISTIE’S SHOWING - NIGHT
As Jacob peruses the paintings that are going up for auction with Hedge Fund PM. HEDGE FUND PM What the fuck is pancreatitis anyway? INT.
EVOLUTION STUDIO’S - DAY
A private gym on Greene street. As Jacob spars with a BLOGGER from streetaccount.com... JACOB I don’t know exactly but it’s not something you wanna come down with. INT.
TRICEBA LOFT - NIGHT
5000 square feet of space, exposed brick and Minotti furniture. A private wine tasting is being held. About fifteen people look on as the SOMMELIER describes the details of the bottle he’s uncorking. Near the back, find Jacob standing with a MORGAN STANLEY PRIVATE CLIENT GROUP PORTFOLIO MANAGER. MORGAN PORTFOLIO MANAGER (whispers to Jacob) When’s the FDA coming down with their decision? CHRISTIE’S As they stand in front of a huge Sigmar Polke... JACOB Any day now. EVOLUTION STUDIOS While showering Jacob with quick jabs... BLOGGER Where’s your information from? LOFT Holding the wine he’s supposed to be sampling but not drinking it... JACOB A doctor that’s very close to the trials... and that’s all I can say. CHRISTIES As they move on from the Polke...
36.
JACOB (CONT’D) But listen, I’m out of work now so I can’t afford to get behind size on this trade... I’m only telling you because you’ve helped me in the past. EVOLUTION STUDIOS As he removes his head gear and wipes away the sweat. JACOB (CONT’D) This is completely off the record. please...
So
LOFT As they receive the next glass of wine... JACOB (CONT’D) ... don’t tell anyone. EXT.
UNION STATION WASHINGTON DC - NIGHT
Jacob gets off the train and sees her across the platform... Winnie. And as he brings her into his embrace... INT.
WASHINGTON DC/15 RIA RESTAURANT - NIGHT
Jacob and Winnie have dinner with her boss, SENATOR LEHIGH, 50’s.
KATHERINE
JACOB Your boy’s coming up in the polls. Senator Lehigh nods. SENATOR LEHIGH They’re blaming this mess on the current administration... it’s helping us. And some people say that the worst isn’t over. JACOB Her father. What’s the word he uses... systemic. Winnie looks over to Jacob. WINNIE When did he say that? And Jacob takes for an extra long moment... holding her look... then comes to a decision and lies... JACOB On Charlie Rose.
37.
But Winnie continues to glare at him... until... SENATOR LEHIGH (with a smile) Okay -- so when’s the big date? EXT.
MANHATTAN - MONDAY MORNING
As New York opens for business... INT.
STREETACCOUNT.COM OFFICES - MORNING
The prevalent pay site for all hedgefunders, trading desk cowboys and large individual players. Looks like a scrappy internet start-up with mismatching cheap office furniture. As our blogger from the gym sips his coffee, fires up his computer and starts to type... INT.
WINNIE’S APARTMENT/WASHINGTON DC - MORNING
A small well appointed two-bedroom in Cleveland Heights. Jacob wakes and leans up. He regards Winnie sleeping next to him. He softly kisses her neck. She smiles in her sleep then rolls over. As their bodies intertwine... INT.
THE CAPITAL FUND/NEW YORK OFFICES - MORNING
A huge industrial space in the highline district that houses this eight billion dollar hedge fund. Find a meeting in progress with all of the fund PORTFOLIO MANAGERS. This is known as the weekly idea storm session... where each PM pitches new trade ideas. As Hedge Fund PM stands up to present to the team with a confident smile... INT.
WINNIE’S APARTMENT/WASHINGTON DC - MORNING
Dressed for work, Winnie heads into the bedroom and regards Jacob still laying in bed. She kisses him on the forehead, lays a section of The Washington Post on his chest with a little laugh then goes. As Jacob looks down to see... it’s the classified jobs section. INT.
MORGAN STANLEY/PRIVATE CLIENT GROUP OFFICES - MORNING
Midtown, corporate, high-floor. Find the private client portfolio manager we remember from the wine tasting.
38. He sits at his computer in a big corner office with a beautiful western view to the river behind him and types in an IM window “AMLN short -- FDA to deny Byetta” then hits send. As he receives the digital receipt... “1209 instant messages sent.” INT.
WINNIE’S APARTMENT/WASHINGTON DC - MORNING
As Jacob munches toast and watches Fox Business in his underwear... JENNA LEE (ON TV) ... another stock that’s getting beaten before the bell is Amlyn Pharmaceuticals. The stock’s down nine percent in premarket trading on no news. Jacob smiles. JENNA LEE (ON TV) (CONT’D) When we come back we have Blue star Airlines’ CEO Bud Fox discussing how he turned his once small regional airline into the country’s third largest carrier. INT.
AMLYN PHARMACEUTICALS/PRESS ROOM - DAY
A select group of Financial JOURNALISTS sit in small metal chairs in front of a podium with the Amlyn name and logo behind it. As the INVESTOR RELATIONS OFFICER heads up the podium and opens his prepared statement... INT.
WINNIE’S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Jacob watches “Happy Hour” on Fox Business as Winnie opens a bottle of wine in the kitchen. She pours a glass of wine and another of water. WINNIE If he wins... she has a real chance for a cabinet position and I’m pretty sure she’ll take me with her if she can. JACOB He’s going to win. As she hands him the glass of water... WINNIE Don’t jinx it. And Jacob sees Amlyn Pharmaceuticals graphic on the screen and turns up the tv.
39.
ERIC BOLLING (ON THE TV) Big drop in Amlyn as negative rumors on the street forced the company to admit there are still internal concerns about Byetta and pancreatitis. They now may be forced to pull the phase three drug from FDA review and retool. (beat) The stock takes a twenty-eight percent haircut. WINNIE Can we watch something else? Jacob brings her in and kisses her... JACOB Whatever you want. Her phone rings.
As she goes to answer it...
WINNIE (kidding) Project Runway. JACOB Not Project Runway. Picking up the phone... WINNIE Hello... who is this?
Hold on.
As she pulls the phone away from her ear and looks over to Jacob... WINNIE (CONT’D) It’s for you... someone named Bretton Woods? EXT.
15 CENTRAL PARK WEST - NIGHT
Jacob rounds West 62nd street and stares down the hottest new address in Manhattan. A little nervous, he sucks in a deep breath then heads into the building. INT.
15 CENTRAL PARK WEST/ PENTHOUSE - NIGHT
A BUTLER lets Jacob in. Jacob takes in the massive space with an insane view of Central Park. He can hear a beautiful sonata playing in the next room. JACOB I’m here to see Bretton Woods. The butler nods then leads Jacob through the full floor unit and into the... PARLOR
40.
A huge chandelier hangs over the all marble room. A fireplace on one wall and a twelve foot wall of glass featuring that park view on the other. And Jacob realizes that sonata is live. recital of some sort.
He’s walked into a
About twenty people sit watching a YOUNG GIRL play on a very unique looking silver grand piano. The girl can’t be a day over thirteen. She’s playing Mozart’s “Ronda Alla Turca”... her fingers gliding across the keyboard in precision, her eyes closed in inspiration. It’s as spectacular as it is moving. Jacob takes it in for a moment then looks over the room. ethnicities and types...
All
The AFRICAN LEADER in full tribal gear, the DISHEVELED ARTIST with his GAY NOVELIST LOVER, the NEW YORK KNICK with his MODEL WIFE, the MOVIE STAR with her TEENAGE SON. And BRETTON WOODS... Mid 40s, slicing jawline, deep set eyes, in great shape, refined, composed and masculine. He’s the owner of this penthouse and he’s looking right at Jacob. Jacob looks away. And the young girl finishes the last movement of the sonata to applause. The guests all stand, some go talk with the girl. heads over to Jacob.
Bretton
BRETTON WOODS As you can see, I’m having a little dinner party here but I thought it was important we speak right away. He speaks with a British accent.. Jacob nods. Bretton looks over the room for a moment, scans his guests then back at Jacob... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) Please... if you don’t mind waiting in my office, I’ll be in a minute. And the butler is already at Jacob’s side, motioning him to follow him. INT.
BRETTON WOODS’S OFFICE - NIGHT
Jacob waits for Bretton. He looks over the place. of the park. The classic furniture. AND THE HUGE PAINTING ON THE WALL
The view
41.
Of a giant man-like monster eating a much smaller naked human. The smaller man’s head’s been bitten off and blood drips down the body. Jacob holds on the painting. BRETTON WOODS (O.S.) Saturno devorando a sus hijos. As Jacob turns to see Bretton standing in the doorway. BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) Saturn devouring his son. Francisco Goya. Bretton heads in and closes the door behind him. JACOB Do you collect? No.
BRETTON WOODS
Sitting behind his desk... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) Only the obsessive compulsive or the insecure egotistical feel the need to collect things. Jacob nods.
Bretton just looks at him... making him nervous.
JACOB Your daughter’s an amazing piano player. That was quite a show. BRETTON WOODS That wasn’t my daughter. That was Isabel Patrovsky, she’s the world’s greatest living piano prodigy. (beat) And that wasn’t a show... that was a very expensive private recital. There’s a long beat of silence with Jacob just looking at Bretton... taking him in. And it’s unmistakable -- the one thing that this man exudes above all else... is composure. BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) You cost my fund three hundred and forty million dollars today. Off of Jacob’s slight smile... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) Yeah, kills my year, pushes my watermark higher and might cause redemptions. (MORE)
42. BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) (beat) I hope you’re happy. My fund’s in trouble now. Jacob just shrugs. BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) You don’t want to deny it? No.
JACOB
BRETTON WOODS Who told you? JACOB A doctor I know. Bretton nods... regards him. BRETTON WOODS I checked with all the desks in town... you didn’t make money off it. JACOB That’s right. BRETTON WOODS Then why did you do it? JACOB You destroyed my firm. BRETTON WOODS Your firm destroyed itself. JACOB You killed Andrew Zabel. BRETTON WOODS Andrew Zabel killed himself. And Bretton sighs... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) The rumors were true. JACOB You made them true. BRETTON WOODS No, Jacob, being levered thirty-eight to one in toxic debt made them true. (beat) Institutional money-running was Zabel’s talent... he didn’t have a down year in the last twenty. Jacob just glares at him.
43.
BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) His fatal flaw was allowing the children on his mortgage security desk to talk him into the deadly game of hot potato everybody’s been so fond of playing recently. And Jacob holds Bretton’s look for a moment, then... heads for the door without saying a thing... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) Come work for me. Jacob stops and turns... What?
JACOB
BRETTON WOODS I run three billion dollars. help me run it.
Come
And Jacob takes a beat... processing this... Why me?
JACOB
BRETTON WOODS Because your loyalty desired revenge, your balls actually attempted it and your skills pulled it off. As he stands... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) And as for Andrew Zabel... there really is no telling why he did what he did. (beat) As far as I’m concerned, it was just a bit of money... and there are surely more important things in the world. And Jacob sucks in a deep breath -- containing his anger. BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) Now I’m going on Safari with my family. Think about the offer and get in touch after the July 4th holiday. ... heading for the door... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) You got my attention, Jacob... and that’s one of the rarest commodities out there. And Jacob just regards him, then...
44.
JACOB You can have my answer now, Bretton... I have no interest in working for a fund that’s in trouble. Bretton smiles... Touche.
BRETTON WOODS
Jacob nods... holding Bretton’s look.
Then...
JACOB What’s your number? Excuse me?
BRETTON WOODS
JACOB The amount of money you would need to be able to walk away from it all and just live happily-ever-after. (beat) Everybody has one -- it’s an exact number -- what’s yours? And Bretton takes a moment to think about that, then simply says... More.
BRETTON WOODS
... and disappears into his penthouse. EXT.
533 THIRD AVENUE - MORNING
Jacob heads out of his building to be greeted by... DIEGO You know what I overheard a guy say yesterday? JACOB I know you’re going to tell me... Diego smiles... DIEGO “This market’s just like a divorce. I’ve lost half my money... only I still have my wife!” As he goes into the hot summer day... Not bad...
JACOB
45.
EXT.
UPPER EAST SIDE/ATLANTIC GRILL - DAY
Jacob heads up to the restaurant to find Gordon Gekko waiting outside. GORDON GEKKO There’s a wait. Oh...
JACOB
GORDON GEKKO Fifteen minutes she said. Okay.
JACOB
GORDON GEKKO No, that’s not okay. Because it means they’re crowded so every tier in the service chain will be extended. The sixteen minutes we would normally wait to order will now be twenty six, the standard twenty four minutes waiting for our food to arrive will turn into thirty nine, the eight minutes to get the check will become seventeen and the four minutes to process the credit card will take nine. (beat) I told you I’d have lunch with you... not give you a hundred and six minutes of my time. Jacob just stands there. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) Let’s go to Whole Foods. INT.
WHOLE FOODS - DAY
Gordon and Jacob share a little table out front of the market. Gordon enjoys a turkey burger from the deli while Jacob doesn’t eat. GORDON GEKKO Did you eat before? JACOB Just not hungry. GORDON GEKKO Yeah... I used to not eat lunch too. Jacob nods and slides something across the table. The picture of Winnie in workout gear, flipping the finger. Gordon looks at it and laughs.
46.
Fitting.
GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D)
As he places it in his pocket... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) That’ll make it a round trade for us. JACOB I actually owe you one now. Off Gordon’s look... JACOB (CONT’D) I crushed him. Did you?
GORDON GEKKO
JACOB His fund is bleeding. I wouldn’t be surprised if the redemptions finish the job. GORDON GEKKO Well, Chief... you seem awfully proud of yourself. JACOB How’d you know about Amlyn? Gordon shrugs. GORDON GEKKO It’s amazing what information you can find out when people know you’re not going to trade on it. JACOB So, you didn’t use me to make a little money? And never to look up from his lunch... GORDON GEKKO Naw. I prefer to write about the action now than be apart of it. JACOB Why’d you give it to me? GORDON GEKKO You’re out of a job and most likely going to marry my daughter... I figured you could use the money. JACOB I didn’t make any money off of it.
47.
GORDON GEKKO You didn’t trade it? With a smile in and over-the-top faux innocence. JACOB That would’ve been insider trading, Mr. Gekko. Gordon just shakes his head. JACOB (CONT’D) And not “most likely.” (beat) Winnie and I are engaged. As Gordon finally looks up from his burger... impressed. EXT.
PARK AVENUE - DAY
As they walk up Park Avenue... GORDON GEKKO So did you take my advice and not tell your new fiance about our little friendship. Jacob doesn’t say anything.
And Gordon doesn’t press.
GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) So, I’m guessing she’s not going to take your last name. Good guess.
JACOB
GORDON GEKKO That’s my Winnie. I knew she was a feminist when she was five and furious that Mrs. Claus didn’t get enough credit. And this makes Jacob smile... then... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) My brother has two daughters. I had Winnie and Rudy. (sucking in a deep breath) And since Rudy... you know... well, I’ve worried about the name. It’s something you don’t really think about until you hit sixty or so but it’s important. As they walk some more in silence, until... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) I want you to get my daughter to accept me back into her life again, Jacob.
48.
Jacob slowly nods... not surprised. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) Because save for the extremely precious and depreciating asset of time... she’s all I have. As Gordon stops in front of a Georgian-style, pre-war building and turns to Jacob... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) C’mon, I’ll show you some more pictures of your fiancee that she doesn’t want you to see. INT.
655 PARK AVENUE/ELEVATOR - DAY
Gordon and Jacob get into the elevator, Gordon pushes “4.” The doors begin to close but someone gets on at the last moment. He’s a hedge fund type, real SLICK, reminds us of Gekko twenty years ago. Oh... and he’s about 29 years old. Gordon... Gekko nods.
SLICK
Slick hits his floor... “PH.”
SLICK (CONT’D) Sky still falling? GORDON GEKKO You know it. SLICK (inside of a derisive sigh) Sells books I guess. INT.
GEKKO’S APARTMENT/LIVING ROOM - DAY
No doubt about it, this is a nice place. Worth three million dollars, maybe four at the beginning of the year. Sparsely decorated.
Large framed photographs line the walls.
Gordon shows Jacob pictures of Winnie’s childhood. GORDON GEKKO She refused to take that cowboy hat off. She actually slept in it. Smitten, Jacob looks at some more of the pictures then stands... taking in the large framed pictures on the wall. As Jacob checks out a framed chart for “Gouda Tulip Bulbs Dec 1 1634 to Feb 5 1637.” The chart goes straight up and to the right then straight down in a single line.
49.
GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) Tulip mania... the art of a bubble. JACOB Bretton offered to hire me. GORDON GEKKO And did you accept? As Jacob moves over to an another piece. Fuck no.
JACOB
Jacob now finds himself looking at a political cartoon from the early 1900s. It’s of two men rowing a boat in a lake of dollars. One of the men is Uncle Sam dressed in US flag colors. But Sam’s very small in this cartoon... can’t really row the boat. The other man is much bigger and clearly doing the heavy rowing. He is... GORDON GEKKO JP Morgan... he single-handedly stopped the Panic of 1907 by stepping in and buying up shares in all the companies that were crashing. Everyone else quickly followed like lemmings. (re political cartoon) See -- people had stopped looking to their government or trusted advisors. They looked to JP Morgan. It was all about simple psychology -- every crash should have a JP Morgan to step in and save it. As they walk the hardwood floor... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) See Jacob... the best opportunities are found where angels fear to tread. And they arrive at the next piece on the wall... a small framed bond. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) That’s a bond issued by the Central American country of Poyais. Gregor McGregor made a fortune dealing these to the British elite in 1820. (beat) The country didn’t exist. And now Jacob notices a very strange picture across the room... he goes over to look at it.
50.
It’s very old... black and white... of a woman filling her stove with money. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) Weimer Republic of Germany 1922. Inflation turned to hyper-inflation and it was more efficient to burn the money for heat than spend it. JACOB That’s horrifying. I know.
GORDON GEKKO
As they both hold on the picture... JACOB What caused it? GORDON GEKKO A country in debt... that took on even more debt to fund a war... then printed mountains of money to avoid a depression and other financial imbalances... As he turns to face Jacob... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) ... sound familiar? JACOB And you honestly think this is where we’re heading? Looking Jacob head on... deadly serious... GORDON GEKKO If we don’t take our heads out of the sand... yes. It’s going to get bad out there, Champ, I’m not going to lie. Even the small regional bank I started out at might go under. JACOB Hudson River Bank... GORDON GEKKO That’s right. And then... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) And I’ve got some news for you... he ain’t bleeding. He’s not even cut. JACOB What are you talking about?
51.
GORDON GEKKO What I’m talking about, Jake... is that I’d bet dollars to donuts that Bretton Woods unwound most of his position in Amlyn last week. That he knew about the pancreatitis. Off of Jacob’s confusion... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) The only reason you think you hurt him is because he wanted you to think that. JACOB How do you know that? GORDON GEKKO I don’t. But it’s not Bretton’s first rodeo... and my instincts for this sort of thing don’t often disappoint. Jacob can’t believe it. And with each passing moment of realization... shock turns into rage. JACOB I can’t believe it. GORDON GEKKO Believe it, Princess... he’s beating your ass all over the court. As Jacob tries to calm himself. JACOB And you think I should take the job -bring him down from the inside? Gordon confirms that with a simple shake of the head and... GORDON GEKKO I don’t know, Jake... what you kids think is pay-back these days is really incredible. When I was coming up, we slaughtered men. (beat) There are guys still working at penny ante brokerages in the Poughkeepsie’s of this country because they crossed me. While Jacob processes that... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) So I’ll make you another trade, Jake. I’ll help you bring him down, if you help me get her back. As Jacob just looks away... non committal.
52.
GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) ... then you both can have a father. EXT.
PARK AVENUE - NIGHT
As Jacob walks... on the phone with... ROBBY Jacob, I could lose my job. ... who holds his sleeping infant in his hands. JACOB Robby, I need to know. Now nobody moves size in this town without using your desk. (beat) We’ll play twenty questions only it’ll be two questions and all you have to do is say “yes or no.” Capitulating with a sigh... ROBBY Fire away... JACOB Bretton Woods... The Locust Fund... did they make any major moves in the last few weeks? Yes.
ROBBY
JACOB Was it unloading Amlyn pharmaceuticals? ROBBY (nervous) Jacob... JACOB Robby, I got you the fucking the job! And after a long moment. Yes.
ROBBY
Jacob stops walking... sucks in a deep breath... JACOB I’m sorry to make you do that. With that, he disconnects and shakes his head in frustration. And after a moment, Jacob sucks in a deep breath then makes another call.
53.
JACOB (CONT’D) (into the phone) Okay Gordon... you’ve got yourself a trade. AND WERE BACK ON THE CHART As a circle forms on June 19th then travels down the trend line to early July and stops. And as a circle is formed around July 4th, we... CUT TO: FIREWORKS Exploding over the Capitol building. EXT.
SENATOR LEHIGH’S GEORGETOWN HOME - NIGHT
A BBQ for the political set and their families. Paper plates and plastic cups are being thrown away by HELP Children and parents lay on blankets watching the fireworks. Jacob holds Winnie as they look up at the sky... WINNIE My parents would always throw this huge party in the Hamptons on the fourth. The city of South Hampton would have its firework show at 8pm then my father would wait until it was over then put on his... which, of course, was always twice as spectacular. She leans up, sips her wine, then... WINNIE (CONT’D) Then one year the city passed an ordinance that their firework show had to be the last of the night... they were sick of getting shown up by Gordon Gekko. Jacob laughs... JACOB What’d he do? WINNIE He rented a barge and shot the fireworks off of it a mile off the coast... out of jurisdiction. (then... almost to herself) The show was even more amazing over the water. And Jacob looks at her.
54.
JACOB I think he should be invited to the wedding. No.
WINNIE
JACOB Winnie, he’s your father... As the fireworks explode into their finale... WINNIE You don’t know him. JACOB I know he’s unhappy. Look at him out there... trying to scare everybody. He’s desperate for attention. WINNIE This is none of your business. JACOB “That’s not how this works.” Remember? She just looks away... JACOB (CONT’D) He’s got nothing. The firework show ends and everyone applauds... WINNIE And that’s what he deserves. Suddenly, everyone begins to look over to the house where something is happening... WINNIE (CONT’D) The things that came out after he was convicted. The affairs... the things he was recorded saying... SECRET SERVICE PERSONNEL, wearing ear pieces, start walking the lawn. WINNIE (CONT’D) This wasn’t the man we knew, Jacob. It was... sociopathic. She stands up and looks across the lawn to where all the action is. JACOB It was a long time ago. He stands and kisses her...
55.
JACOB (CONT’D) Just consider it, okay? That’s all I’m asking. She holds his look for a long moment, then... nodding over to all the excitement... WINNIE C’mon, you can meet the next President of the United States. INT.
THE LOCUST FUND FOYER - DAY
A massive foyer of black marble with wall to wall views of Manhattan. There’s much more space than furniture here. Jacob waits patiently in a white suede chair... he checks his watch and sighs. He’s been sitting here quite awhile. Finally, the SIX FOOT TALL RECEPTIONIST, leaves her desk... her heels clicking as she walks over. SIX FOOT Jacob... are you ready? Jacob stands and she leads him toward a bank of elevators. The doors open and Jacob gets on. INT.
ELEVATOR - DAY
Jacob stands there with Six Foot. SIX FOOT Do you have everything they said you’d need? Jacob nods... holding a folder of his previous tax forms, his passport and other documents obviously needed for the job. And the elevator doors open... but not to an office... Jacob shields his eyes to the wash of daylight... then looks to realize that he’s on the roof of the building. And in front of him is... An Augusta A109E Helicopter with “The Locust Fund” written on the side. INT.
AUGUSTA HELICOPTER - DAY
As Jacob looks down to the city below, wondering where the hell they’re going... EXT.
TETERBORO AIRPORT - DAY
Jacob emerges from the Augusta and looks across the tarmac to see a Boeing 727 with “The Locust Fund” written on the side. And now Jacob knows why he needed his passport.
56.
EXT.
LONDON - NIGHT
As the 727 dives down toward Biggin Hill airfield... the lights of London twinkling to the north. EXT.
CHELSEA - NIGHT
The Black Maybach limousine pulls up out front of a 19,000square-foot Victorian home with the perfectly restored brick exterior. As Jacob gets out of the car and sizes down this incredible home... INT.
BRETTON WOODS’S CHELSEA HOME/THE BLACK SWAN HOUSE - NIGHT
The design is much different that Woods’s New York CPW penthouse. It’s more classical... with dark woods and worn leathers and thick rugs and commanding views along the River Thames. And Jacob is lead into the... DINING ROOM Where Bretton eats alone at the head of the long table. Jacob.
BRETTON WOODS
As Jacob walks through the expansive space... Mr. Woods.
JACOB
BRETTON WOODS (Call me...) Bretton. ... and sits. JACOB Okay... Bretton. I thought we were going to meet in New York. BRETTON WOODS And I thought you had no interest in working for a fund that was in trouble. JACOB I was emotional. I was angry. BRETTON WOODS And what changed? JACOB I caught a glance of my portfolio.
57.
And Bretton laughs. Jacob notices two huge chocolate brown French Mastiffs sitting at Bretton’s feet. Cute dogs.
JACOB (CONT’D)
BRETTON WOODS Dogue de Bordeaux... bred to kill. But Contango and Backwardation here are socialized since birth so they’re harmless. Jacob laughs... JACOB You named your dogs after technical futures market terms? And Bretton stands... BRETTON WOODS Of course not... (with a wink) My children did. As he heads into... THE LIVING ROOM A fire burning in the fireplace.
Jacob follows Bretton in...
JACOB And where are your children? Bretton moves toward a table with a classic phonograph player on it. BRETTON WOODS Greece with my wife. My boys are studying The Iliad now. While Bretton looks through the various sleeves of records, Contango and Backwardation slowly find their way into the room and sit by the fire. Bretton finds what he’s looking for... removing the record from its sleeve. BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) Here it is... one of the most beautiful pieces of music you’ll ever hear. Bretton places the record on the phonograph and The Rolling Stones “Let It Loose” rings out...
58.
BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) “Exile On Main Street,” without a doubt The Stones greatest album. Jacob laughs.
He was expecting Beethoven.
BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) It was all outtakes. Throwaway tracks. And the critics hated it. And it didn’t sell well at first. (beat) But now it’s universally known as their best release. I asked Mick once how he thought that happened. How something could go from so worthless to so valuable. He just looked at me and said... “it never went from worthless to valuable... just the opinions of it did.” Taking a seat... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) And that was the greatest lesson I ever learned about investing. JACOB An asset’s value can only be priced at its perception. BRETTON WOODS (impressed) Exactly. There is no intrinsic. Then... simply... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) You’ll work out of the New York office. I wouldn’t want to pull you away from your fiancee in Washington. Thank you.
JACOB
BRETTON WOODS She’s Gordon Gekko’s daughter. JACOB That’s right. BRETTON WOODS He was a legend at one time. It’s quite sad how he publicly cries out wolf now. Bretton stands and stretches. BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) You see, for a legend...
59.
Inside of a tired sigh... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) ... the only thing worse than death is becoming irrelevant. And Bretton just sits there... enjoying his scotch while taking in the Stones tune... INT.
LONDON/SAVOY HOTEL SUITE - NIGHT
Jacob stands at the window of his suite... looking out onto the Victoria embankment and on the phone with... GORDON GEKKO Good work, kid -- you’re on the inside now. JACOB He’s going to Dubai to raise some money then meeting me in New York to set me up. Gordon sits at the dining room table at his apartment. Papers scattered about and his EDITOR waiting patiently. No. What?
GORDON GEKKO JACOB
GORDON GEKKO He’s not meeting you in New York. Why not?
JACOB
GORDON GEKKO Because you need to go to Dubai with him. JACOB I don’t understand. EXT.
LONDON - DAY
As the 727 takes off ... GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) You need to do something that will earn his trust... you need to make yourself a hero... INT.
727 - DAY
Jacob sits across from Bretton who enjoys a slice of Pizza and a Coke.
60.
GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) Jacob... you need to help him get this money. And Jacob glares at Bretton like he might kill him. GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) But be cautious. Your relationship with Bretton is still fragile -- you fuck it up here and you’re done. Bretton looks up and Jacob immediately replaces his glare with a smile. JACOB Looks better than meals I get on United. BRETTON WOODS John’s Pizza on Bleeker. It crossed the Atlantic with you yesterday. Would you like a slice? Jacob declines... then... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) I appreciate you wanting to help with this part of the business even though it’s not your expertise. JACOB Well -- there’s a lot I can learn from you. BRETTON WOODS For this trip just stay in the background and observe. As Bretton tosses some pizza to Contango and Backwardation... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) We’re going to meet with Oleg Bakunin. He’s a Russian oligarch on the run because Putin wanted to steal everything he owns. He already has a few hundred million with us but I’m looking to get half a billion more. Our maintenance fee on that alone would be ten million a year. (beat) My father didn’t make half of that in his twenty-six year career. And he looks out the window... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) He worked in a mid-level job for United Bancorp actually...
61.
Never to look from the window... with just a trace of disdain... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) Got a fishing kit when he retired. EXT.
DUBAI/AERIAL VIEW - DAY
The most bizarre, stunning city in the world -- outlandish skyscrapers, marinas, archipelagos... And the 727 is now flying over... THE WORLD OF ISLANDS A collection of man-made islands that make out a onedimensional map-like depiction of Earth. As we fly over this archipelago... BRETTON WOODS (V.O.) Richard Branson purchased Great Britain, Rod Stewart bought Germany, Tommy Lee bought Greece. BECKER JETVAN LUXURY COACH It’s custom outfitted Mercedes-Benz van that’s completely decked out like the inside of a private jet. Full entertainment system, recessed LED lighting, tray tables, fine leather, blacked out windows that “defog” with the push of a button, designed by Phillipe Starck and made custom for $450,000 (once you get to the top of the waiting list.) Jacob and Bretton ride into the city. on his Vertu.
Bretton takes a call
BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) (into phone) Yes... you have to be kidding me. He disconnects the call with a mischievous smile and turns to Jacob. BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) Looks like a bit of news broke while we were in the air... And Bretton turns on Fox Business to see footage of... The Governor of New York standing at a podium next to his WIFE. He doesn’t look happy as he says... GOVERNOR (ON THE TV) The remorse I feel will always be with me. Words cannot describe how grateful I am for the love and compassion they have shown me. From those to whom much is given, much is expected..
62.
Jacob’s confused... this...
Bretton’s enjoying every second of
BRETTON WOODS He’s been after us for years... GOVERNOR (ON THE TV) I have been given much -- the love of my family, the faith and trust of the people of New York, and the chance to lead this state Laughing with delight... BRETTON WOODS Oh Jacob... you don’t want to live in a glass house if you’re gonna play this game. JACOB I don’t understand. Yes sir.
Is he resigning?
BRETTON WOODS
JACOB What’d he do? And Bretton simply turns to him and says... Outsourced. EXT.
BRETTON WOODS
BURJ AL ARAB HOTEL - DAY
1,000-foot-tall feat of modern design, perched on the edge of the Persian Gulf. As the Jetvan pulls out front... BRETTON WOODS (V.O.) There’s a big party for Oleg tonight at a club called The Left Bank. It’s Roaring 20s themed so I’ve had original suits from that era delivered to our rooms. INT.
BURJ AL ARAB/LOBBY - DAY
As Jacob and Bretton walk through the ridiculously opulent lobby plated in gold leaf. BRETTON WOODS Remember. Hedge funds are not banking and this isn’t Ivy-league-geographyninth-hole deal making.
63.
INT.
HALLWAY - DAY
As they walk down the hall to their suites... Contango and Backwardation tagging along. BRETTON WOODS Oleg’s a brute, he’s has A.D.D. and he likes to party. As they stop in front of large double doors... the BELLMAN opens the doors to reveal... THE BURJ AL ARAB PREMIERE SUITE Makes the Rainman Suite at Caesar’s look like a standard room at a Motel 6. 7000 square feet, 360 degree view, 70 inch plasmas share the walls with Picassos and Monets. Bretton nods over to the double doors across the hall... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) I’m just down the hall. (with a smile) I hope you don’t mind I took the nicer one. INT.
JACOB’S SUITE/BATHROOM - NIGHT
Now dressed in a tightly-fitting suit over a white shirt with wing collars and stove-pipe skinny trousers, Jacob stands in front of the mirror. As Jacob throws on a top hat and admires the 1928 version of himself.... INT.
THE LEFT BANK - NIGHT
A Roaring 20’s party is taking place... it’s full-on speakeasy vibe. It’s right out of 1928, only with Europeans, Russians and Middle-Easterners. Smoke fills the room.
A jazz band roars.
Drinks flow.
As Jacob and Bretton head in... BRETTON WOODS If he offers you a drink -- take it. And with that, Bretton points across the room where OLEG BAKUNIN sits. BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) If he offers you a line of coke -snort it. He’s in his mid-40s, overweight, sweaty, draped in tight black Prada and smoking a cigarette.
64.
BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) If he offers you a child -- raise it. And it seems A MODEL BOMB has recently exploded at Oleg’s table... leaving the skinny shards everywhere. Oleg sees them, stands and opens his arms. OLEG Bretton Woods has arrived. Bretton smiles. They head over. MODEL GIRLS next to him.
Oleg turns to one of the
OLEG (CONT’D) I want you to meet one of the only men in the world who might be as rich as I am. Wait a minute... Bretton what did oil close at today? BRETTON WOODS A hundred and twenty-nine dollars a barrel. OLEG (to Model Girl) Forget what I said -- I’m much richer than him. Oleg then looks at Jacob. OLEG (CONT’D) Who the fuck is this? JACOB Oleg, I’m Jacob Moore. meet you.
It’s nice to
Oleg regards Jacob for a beat, then back to Bretton and asks again... OLEG Who the fuck is this? Bretton smiles... BRETTON WOODS Jacob has recently come over from KZI to work with me. And now Oleg turns to Jacob. KZI?
OLEG You worked with Andrew Zabel?
Jacob takes a beat.
Then...
JACOB That’s right.
65.
OLEG He was a legend. Jacob just nods, not showing any emotion. Oleg motions for the girls to make room and they all sit... OLEG (CONT’D) It was that mortgage shit. He should’ve just focused on managing money and not fuck around with that crazy mortgage shit. Bretton just looks away.
Jacob stays cool.
OLEG (CONT’D) It was a shame his fund was only for institutions... I would’ve liked to have invested. Oleg motions to a WAITRESS who immediately pours vintage champagne. OLEG (CONT’D) In honor of the theme tonight, have a glass of 1927 Heidsiek champagne... Oleg hands Jacob a flute before he can decline. OLEG (CONT’D) This is one of two hundred bottles discovered on a shipwreck off the coast of Finland... thirty grand a bottle. And Oleg aggressively puts his arm around Jacob, bringing him into a drunken half-bear hug and spilling most of the champagne out of Jacob’s flute. EXT.
DUBAI HARBOR - NIGHT
Oleg and some of his crew lead Jacob, Bretton and three beautiful, giggling model girls down a trail to a secluded mooring. Fishing boats bob violently in the water -- and next to them is Oleg’s Phoenix 1000, his personal, 65-meter SUBMARINE. As a boatman helps them all climb aboard: OLEG Phoenix 1000. INT. SUBMARINE - NIGHT As they walk through the ornate deck saloon: Oleg beckons Jasper toward a huge panoramic window looking out at the city of Dubai.
66.
And then the view starts to MOVE. The surface of the water RISES before them, Dubai recedes and the submarine descends spectacularly into the depths. OLEG 5000 square feet, 30 days of oxygen capacity. INT.
THE DECK SALOON - NIGHT
Lights illuminate the dark waters as curious fish flit past. Jacob, Bretton and Oleg are on divans, the girls undulating around them. OLEG Bretton, I have... what?... two hundred million with you. BRETTON WOODS And hopefully that’s just a start. Oleg, there are so many opportunities out there right now I feel like a kid in the candy store. Oleg waves him off. OLEG You know I like to spread it around... I’m like my own fund of funds. I don’t like to have too much with one manager. As Oleg shakes cocaine out of an envelope... OLEG (CONT’D) You never really know who to trust in this world. Jacob takes a beat, swallows nervously, then... JACOB I couldn’t agree more, Oleg. It’s one of the first things that Andrew Zabel taught me. I worked very closely with him. It’s why Bretton hired me. To get behind the Andrew Zabel curtain. Bretton flashes Jacob a look... “What the hell are you doing?” Jacob swallows back some nerves then continues... JACOB (CONT’D) You said before that you always wanted to invest with Zabel but couldn’t because he only handled institutional money. Well here’s your chance. Zabel taught me everything he knew. Oleg looks up to Jacob from the line of coke with interest.
67.
OLEG Such as... ? JACOB Well, I’m not going to give you the whole cake, Oleg... He looks over to Bretton who still glares at Jacob... JACOB (CONT’D) But I can give you a little bite... (beat) It involves building positions in high yielding stocks new to volatility then writing calls with split strike prices. And Oleg regards Jacob for a long moment, a jury determining the verdict... Jacob holding on to that sly smile... Bretton looking away... playing it cool. JACOB (CONT’D) It’s complicated but like Bretton said -- right now there are more opportunities than ever. Oleg simply nods... with a simple... OLEG Interesting. ... then does another line. INT.
JACOB’S SUITE - NIGHT
Jacob sleeps. There’s a knock on his door. He stirs. The knock’s louder. Then... Jacob finally wakes, moves to the door and opens it to see... TWO BEAUTIFUL RUSSIAN WOMEN, PAULINA and NADIA NADIA We’re here for the party. Confused... What party?
JACOB
PAULINA Oleg said you needed a party... Cozying up to her friend with a smile... NADIA ... and we’re it. Jacob nervously thinks, then...
68.
Come in. INT.
JACOB
JACOB’S SUITE - LATER
We pan across the suite... past the roaring fire... PAULINA (O.S.) Right there... ? ... past the empty bottle of champagne... JACOB (O.S.) No... not there... NADIA (O.S.) How about there? I bet you want me to do it there. ... past the plate of half-eaten chocolate strawberries... JACOB (O.S.) No... I want you to hold it. And find the three of them... NADIA (O.S.) But it’s gone up so much. ... sitting at Jacob’s computer... looking over a chart for a Russian oil company. JACOB I know... but if you’re going to correctly utilize this technical head and shoulders strategy, you need to hold the stock until... (pointing on the chart) ... right here. PAULINA I always sell too soon. JACOB Very common mistake. You need to cut your losers short and let your winners run. She looks to her friend with a smile... NADIA Good advice for everything... no? Her friend agrees with a laugh.
And Jacob checks the clock.
JACOB Okay. I think enough time has passed. I appreciate you guys keeping our little secret.
69.
As he walks them to the door... NADIA You must love her very much. I do.
JACOB
Jacob opens the door to let them go but he hears a door open across the hall... Bretton’s. And they all witness a YOUNGER AMERICAN WOMAN leave Bretton’s room then head down the hall right by them. Jacob’s stunned. PAULINA The most famous hooker in the world. Off Jacob’s confusion... THE YOUNGER AMERICAN WOMAN that had just left Bretton’s room looks right at us under the caption “The Governor's $5000 Mistake” Pull back to be on Perezhilton.com Jacob Moore sits in front of his computer. Paulina.
And he turns to
JACOB Is she a gift from Oleg? No.
PAULINA She’s Bretton’s go-to.
NADIA He flies her in wherever he’s at. And Jacob slowly takes that in... absolutely floored. INT.
BURJ AL ARAB/LOBBY - MORNING
Wearing sunglasses, Jacob greets Bretton at the elevators. BRETTON WOODS You look like crap. They walk for the exit. BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) Let me ask you something... was that speech about split strike prices and stocks new to volatility for real? No Bretton.
JACOB That was all bullshit.
70.
Bretton smiles. BRETTON WOODS Well, it worked. Oleg’s wiring us five hundred million dollars today. And Bretton turns to Jacob... impressed. BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) Good job, Jacob... And as they head out into the Dubai heat... GORDON GEKKO (V.O.)(PRE-LAP) So he trust you now. EXT.
BOWLING GREEN PARK - DAY
The iconic charging bull of Wall Street. I think so.
JACOB (V.O.)
Travel the park to find... Jacob and Gordon stopping at the food vendors. GORDON GEKKO Well, I’m happy to help. (and then) What about your end of the trade, Sport? JACOB Oh... I’m still working on it. (beat) I’ll talk to her. I promise. GORDON GEKKO (to Vendor) Hot dog. (to Jacob) What do you want? JACOB (to vendor) I’ll take a pretzel. As they get their food and walk... GORDON GEKKO So you’re a hedge fund cowboy now? Shaking his head... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) Goddamn hedge funds -- what a racket. Playing the world casino, betting other people’s money with leverage. And it’s completely legal and completely unregulated. (MORE)
71. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) The hustles they get away with make insider trading seem like a parking ticket. SLAM INTO THE FRONTIER FUND/TRADING PIT Rows and rows of computers in a large dark room.... GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) Nassim Tariq and his Frontier Fund. With their slews of MIT grads who become glorified millionaire robots pushing buttons... ... with casually dressed ASIANS and INDIANS in their 20s working the keyboards like zombies. GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) ... slaves to top-secret propriety elegant algorithms that work until they don’t. AND SLAM INTO ESSEX CAPITAL ADVISERS/CONFERENCE ROOM A stuffy conference room half-filled with bored MEN in their 40s watching a presentation... GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) Or the baby cub funds like Sammy Rosen’s Essex Advisers... filled with Goldman Sachs and Julian Robertson pedigree. Most of the men type on their blackberrys... one is actually asleep. GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) Men who are way too rich, lazy and tired to run money properly anymore. THEN SLAM INTO THE DANIELS ACTIVIST FUND/ALLAN DANIELS’S OFFICE A small cluttered office with papers strewn about... GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) Or Allan Daniel’s and his bully operation. ALLAN DANIELS, a small bull-dog of a man, paces back and forth... dictating in anger. His SECRETARY types down every word he’s shouting. GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) ... with his angry letters to company boards that are nothing but veiled threats in the name of activism. AND RIGHT BACK TO BOWLING GREEN PARK Where Gordon stops walking...
72.
GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) So you’re inside... you have his trust... and now you want to know what’s next. And Jacob’s look over to Gekko confirms this. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) Here’s the thing about Bretton. He puts all of his money into his own fund which makes him stupid, egotistical, and most importantly... vulnerable. (beat) And he chases. He doesn’t take losses well and he chases with leverage. He thinks he’s a trader, he thinks he’s an investor but he’s not. He’s a gambler. Regarding Jacob... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) That pretzel looks good. Jacob just shrugs. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) Care to make a trade? JACOB
Whatever. And they trade.
The hotdog for the pretzel.
GORDON GEKKO As for your end of our trade. (beat) Find a way for me to reunite with my daughter, Jake. Because we both know how she would react to the fact that you’ve been lying to her about bonding with your future father-in-law. Just standing there... holding that hot dog... JACOB Is that a threat? Looking Jacob dead on... Absolutely.
GORDON GEKKO
Jacob just shakes his head with a laugh... now realizing that Gekko talked him into this position for this exact leverage. JACOB You’re priceless, Gordon.
73.
With a smile... GORDON GEKKO Just be happy I’m on your team. (and then) Get him into a bad position and watch him chase it. JACOB What bad position? GORDON GEKKO What have I been saying all along, Kid? Financials.
JACOB
GORDON GEKKO They’re a death trap -- mark my words. INT.
THE LOCUST FUND/JACOB’S OFFICE - DAY
As Jacob takes in his new view... it’s spectacular. GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) But he won’t fall for a brokerage or bank play this late in the game. Everyone knows they’re poison. AND TIME LAPSE As the office grows furniture... a plasma on the wall... a computer on the desk... GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) Sell him on insurance. There’s a case to be made for those stocks... illfated as they may be. ... books on the shelves... pictures on the walls... a couch and table... a paper shredder and waste baskets... GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) But take your time... make him think you’ve been doing your due diligence. Find Jacob at his desk... working away at his computer... it’s late at night. GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) Make it look like you’re working your ass off to find him this genius trade... come in early, leave late and don’t bring up the idea for at least a few weeks. And Jacob finally gets up from his desk... goes to the window... looking across midtown Manhattan...
74.
GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) And then Jacob... ... eyes pasted on a building made of glass and steel... a building he once called home... GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) ... sell him hard... then watch him bite... then watch him chase... ... KZI Investments. GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) ... then watch him come undone. EXT.
533 THIRD AVENUE - DAY
Holding his suitcase, Jacob emerges from the elevator and heads for a waiting town car. Jacob sees Diego... Bring it.
JACOB
Diego smiles... loves this new one... DIEGO What’s the most dangerous question on Wall Street? Tell me.
JACOB
DIEGO “How are you?” And Jacob agrees whole-heartedly as he heads on his way. EXT.
WASHINGTON DC - MORNING
As the sun rises over our nation’s capital. EXT.
ROCK CREEK PARK - MORNING
Winnie and Jacob jog the park through the humid July haze. It’s very early. And Jacob stops jogging. running.
Catches his breath.
JACOB Why are you with me? She stops and turns back to him. What?
WINNIE
She keeps
75.
JACOB You hate finance. You hate Wall Street. Why are you with me? Winnie nods. It’s a valid question. for a moment, then...
And she thinks about it
WINNIE Repetition compulsion. Huh? It’s Freud.
JACOB WINNIE
JACOB And what does it mean, psych major? WINNIE Well, it’s when people repeat the same dysfunctional relationships from childhood in their adult life in hopes of trying to master them. JACOB Like when children of alcoholics fall in love with alcoholics. Yeah.
WINNIE
He turns away... upset. JACOB That’s great, Winnie. WINNIE Jacob, that might be why I was initially attracted to you... but it’s not why I love you. She moves to him. WINNIE (CONT’D) I love you because you’re compassionate and you care so deeply about what you do and you have like no ego, it’s crazy. She reaches to him... turning his face to meet hers. WINNIE (CONT’D) And you’re the smartest person I’ve ever met... and there’s nobody I trust more in the world. Jacob looks away... almost ashamed. something’s not right.
And Winnie can sense
76.
WINNIE (CONT’D) What’s wrong? Nothing...
JACOB
As Jacob draws in a deep breath, collects himself and finally turns back to her with... JACOB (CONT’D) I just wish you would master that relationship from childhood so you can move forward with this one. AND WERE BACK ON THE CHART As a circle forms on July 20th then travels down the trend and stops. And as a circle is formed around August 11th, we... CUT TO: EXT.
WESTSIDE HIGHWAY- DAY
And Manhattan... as it sweats through the heart of summer. Two jetvans ride uptown... INT.
JETVAN - DAY
As Jacob rides with Bretton... JACOB Bretton... I found something I like. Bretton looks over to him. BRETTON WOODS I’ve been wondering when my new portfolio manager was going to come to me with something special. JACOB I just wanted to make sure I would be bringing you the smartest idea possible. I know you don’t go light. Confirming... BRETTON WOODS That’s right. If I commit to this... we go large and we don’t back down. JACOB It might be better to do this in the office. I have color and support to present-Waving him off...
77.
BRETTON WOODS C’mon Jacob, you know that’s not how we do. EXT.
ADIRONDACK FOREST PRESERVE - DAY
2.7 million acres of State protected majestic land. All nature... rivers and lakes... cypresses and maples. Clean air. And trails. Many trails that go on for miles. As the two Becker jetvans arrive at a restricted area, a STATE RANGER opens the gate and allows them to drive through then park. Jacob and Bretton emerge from the jetvan. BRETTON WOODS This is how we do. And with a nod, the DRIVER of the other jetvan opens it to reveal two motorcycles inside. Bretton’s MTT Turbine Superbike and an Agusta, these bikes are handcrafted works of art as much as they are demons of speed. Jacob laughs in disbelief and excitement. JACOB And we’re allowed to ride these through here? Sucking in the fresh summer air... No.
BRETTON WOODS
AND JACOB AND BRETTON Now decked out in leather riding gear... on the bikes... at the mouth of the trail... revving the engines... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) Follow me... And with that, shoots into the forest. follows.
Jacob quickly
AND THEY RIDE Winding through the trees... along the side of a river... Bretton riding extremely fast with Jacob trying to keep up. Bretton reaches a clearing and waits for Jacob to catch up. Once he does... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) You’re going to have to keep up. Okay.
JACOB I’m just getting used to it.
78.
BRETTON WOODS Tell me your idea. Here? Where else?
JACOB BRETTON WOODS
JACOB Right. Okay. (collecting himself) Are you still short any of the financials? No.
BRETTON WOODS After KZI, I took profits.
JACOB I think it’s time to go the other way. Banks?
BRETTON WOODS
JACOB Insurance companies. I’m talking the old school insurers that have become the babies thrown out with the bath water. Jacob waits for a reaction from Bretton. is... Keep up!
But all he gets
BRETTON WOODS
And with that, Bretton rips into the clearing. Jacob rides just as fast. They’re neck and neck... it’s definitely a race. Bretton pulls ahead but Jacob doesn’t give up. As they move quickly toward a patch of forest with a only narrow trail entering it, Jacob focuses on the horizon and revs the bike into more speed. He pulls up next to Bretton as they approach the trail. If Jacob doesn’t slow down, and fall in line behind Bretton, he’s going to hit the trees. But he doesn’t. Instead, Jacob blasts the bike into its final dose of speed, narrowly avoiding impact by zipping into the trail... pulling ahead of Bretton and taking the lead. A TRANQUIL LAKE As it sits still in the setting sun. Untouched by man. Bretton and Jacob get off the bikes and walk to the shore. As they catch their breaths and enjoy the beauty...
79.
JACOB The basket of stocks I’m putting together focuses on reinsurance brokering and management services for businesses. They’re trading below book and have large dividends. (beat) I say we buy them here. Bretton thinks about it.
He’s not sure.
BRETTON WOODS Financials are a falling knife. Jacob nods... JACOB I’m not arguing that... but the best opportunities are found where angels fear to tread. Jacob can see... he has Bretton on the hook. JACOB (CONT’D) So yeah -- they are falling knives. But Bretton... And with confidence... driving it home... JACOB (CONT’D) ... what’s life without a little blood on your hands? INT.
JACOB’S OFFICE - DAY
As WORKERS install an electronic ticker that wraps around the top circumference of the whole office... similar to the one Andrew Zabel had. BRETTON WOODS (V.O.) Okay. Then I want you to build positions in your favorite three names. Jacob picks up the phone and... THE SCREEN SPLITS IN TWO With Jacob on top and Robby on the bottom. As Robby takes the order and starts typing into his Bloomberg... BRETTON WOODS (V.O.) (CONT’D) I want you stealth. Use all six trading desks we’re in business with. NOW ROBBY’S HALF OF THE SCREEN SPLITS INTO 6 SMALL BOXES
80.
Six different trading desks... six different BROKERS taking calls from Jacob who still owns the whole top half of the screen. BRETTON WOODS (V.O.) (CONT’D) And if they go down... we increase our size. AND BACK TO JACOB Leaning back... feet on desk... staring at the ticker... which only has three stocks on it... BRETTON WOODS (V.O.) (CONT’D) See Jacob -- I don’t believe in “wrong.” MCC at $21.65, ACN at $16.24 and ISS at $7.23. BRETTON WOODS (V.O.) (CONT’D) I only believe in “not right yet.” EXT.
UPPER WEST SIDE - NIGHT
A rainstorm takes over the city. Shun Lee Cafe. INT.
A cab pulls out front of
TAXI - NIGHT
Winnie sucks in a deep breath. WINNIE He chose this restaurant. Jacob confirms. WINNIE (CONT’D) We used to come here every Sunday night. He takes her hand. JACOB You’re going to be fine. WINNIE I’m only doing this for you. No.
JACOB You’re doing this for you.
She just glares at him. WINNIE We’re never having sex again. JACOB Then what my friends say about marriage will be true.
81.
And she nervously fights back a smile... WINNIE Oh, shut up. INT.
SHUN LEE CAFE - NIGHT
The HOST leads Winnie and Jacob through the grand dining room. Gordon sees them and stands up. We can tell he’s anxious as well. Hi.
GORDON GEKKO
Fighting back the nerves... Hey.
WINNIE
They just stand there.
Jacob holds out his hand.
JACOB Mr. Gekko, I’m Jacob Moore, we spoke on the phone. Nice to finally meet in person. Gekko just looks at him for an extra long beat, then... shakes his hand. Yes.
GORDON GEKKO
They all sit. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) Jacob, shall we get some wine? JACOB I don’t drink. Oh... okay.
GORDON GEKKO
Then Gordon attempts a smile over to his daughter. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) Let me guess... the ginger garlic lobster. WINNIE (to Jacob) I used to order that every time. She closes her menu. WINNIE (CONT’D) I’m not really hungry.
82.
GORDON GEKKO I’ve been following your career, Winnie. Senator Lehigh said some very nice things about you in The American Prospect interview. WINNIE Yeah. She’s really been... very... supportive of my... And it trails off... as she just glares at Gordon. WINNIE (CONT’D) I can’t do this. She exhales, stands and looks down to Jacob. I’m sorry.
WINNIE (CONT’D) I can’t do this.
And she quickly walks off. over to him with...
Jacob frozen.
Until Gordon looks
GORDON GEKKO It’s okay. This is a long term investment. (beat) Go after her. She needs you. And Jacob does. INT.
As Gordon looks down... disappointed.
WEST 65TH - NIGHT
Pouring rain.
Jacob runs after her.
JACOB Winnie... Winnie... He turns her around. WINNIE You don’t understand. Her tears being washed away by the rain. WINNIE (CONT’D) My mother couldn’t handle Rudy. He was so out of control. I couldn’t help him. Jacob takes her into his hold... WINNIE (CONT’D) (re Gekko) If he wasn’t in prison... if he had been there. I know it would’ve been different. JACOB Your brother’s dead, Winnie.
83.
Squeezing her tight... JACOB (CONT’D) Your father isn’t. WINNIE He’s not the person people think he is. JACOB It was a long time ago. She pulls out of his embrace... WINNIE He’ll hurt us. Can’t we just go home? Please... Jacob. It’s raining. And he just looks at her for a long moment... soaking wet and shivering... crying and exposed. JACOB (what am I doing?) I love you. You don’t have to do this. (and then) Let’s just go home. INT.
JACOB’S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Darkness.
The phone rings.
Yes.
Jacob answers it.
JACOB
INTERCUT WITH... BRETTON WOODS Your insurance companies are down. He’s working a coffee in the master suite of The Black Swan Home... Bretton.
JACOB
BRETTON WOODS I want to increase our size. Glancing at the LCD, 12:23am... JACOB Okay. Good. It’s just a matter of time before they turn. I’ll call the desks tomorrow-BRETTON WOODS Jacob, I want you to triple our positions on all three.
84.
Jacob takes a beat. Okay.
JACOB
BRETTON WOODS And they better fucking go up. Click.
And as Jacob just looks at the phone... GORDON GEKKO (PRELAP) The instant you know you’re in trouble is the exact moment when a sound investment thesis turns into blind hope.
INT.
NORMA’S - MORNING
Jacob sits across from Gordon at this well-known breakfast spot in the Parker Meridian hotel. GORDON GEKKO Tripling the size... that’s a very aggressive move. Jacob nods. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) And I promise you he’s using leverage to do this. JACOB He’s chasing. Suddenly, a MAN approaches the table. TOM Mr Gekko, I’m Tom Sanders. for Barrons.
He’s in his thirties.
I write
GORDON GEKKO I’ve heard of it. Letting out a little laugh... TOM I’m sure you have. (beat) Well, I’m doing a piece of Wall Street moguls who ended up going to prison. I’ve already talked to Boesky and Milken and would love to sit down with you. GORDON GEKKO Can you give me the cover? Tom isn’t sure if Gordon’s serious.
Either is Jacob.
85.
TOM Well, I... um... don’t make those decisions. GORDON GEKKO Get me the cover and I’ll give you seventy minutes. Tom politely smiles. TOM I’ll... take that as a no. ... and goes. asserts...
Gordon looks down to his breakfast and quietly
GORDON GEKKO (almost to himself) Both those assholes got the cover when they were convicted. And after a moment... JACOB How do we know the insurance companies are going to continue going down? As he casually places his egg on a piece of toast... GORDON GEKKO It’s all going down. ... and takes a bite. AND THREE CHARTS NOW FILL THE SCREEN Side by side... above the charts are written respectively MCC, ACN and ISS. And we follow all the three trend lines from Aug 17th forward to the right... and they all move down. Just wait.
GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D)
And we stop in September. And as a blue circle is formed over Sept 13th on all three charts, we... CUT TO: TIME WARNER CENTER/BALLROOM This is The Financial Follies... an annual event held by the financial writers association. 500 people sit at tables, enjoying this dinner and live show that pokes fun at people in the world of finance. Everyone who’s anyone in high finance is here.
86.
On the stage, the spotlight finds BILL MAHER and the applause breaks out... BILL MAHER Welcome to the 2008 Financial Follies! (applauds) I’m Bill Maher and I’m getting paid in Euros. Jacob shares a table with Bretton, Bretton’s wife and a few other FINANCIAL PLAYERS. Winnie is not here. BILL MAHER (CONT’D) When The Financial Writers Association asked me to host an event for the world of finance, I was shocked. I’m known in Washington not Wall Street... (beat) ... but then they informed me that Washington is actually in the process of buying Wall Street, so it all makes sense. Laughter... BILL MAHER (CONT’D) I asked them if anything’s off limits. And they said to stay away from the brokerages, banks and insurers... (pause for effect, then...) ... where the fuck was that advice five months ago? More laughter. BILL MAHER (CONT’D) I see Sammy Rosen’s here. The spotlight finds SAMMY ROSEN, billionaire hedge funder. BILL MAHER (CONT’D) Sammy, how are you? From his table... Doing well.
SAMMY ROSEN
BILL MAHER (to the room) Of course he is... in the amount of time it took for us to have that exchange, he made three hundred and nine thousand dollars. (back to Sammy) Sammy, let me give you some free advice, the next time someone with bad eyesight wants to sell you a hundred and fifty million dollar painting... don’t let them personally deliver it.
87.
It’s an inside joke that this room gets... BILL MAHER (CONT’D) Somebody told me Gordon Gekko is here. Gordon... ? Across the room, a spotlight finds Gordon... BILL MAHER (CONT’D) There you are. I have some inside information for you, Gekko... sex sells books, not bread lines. Gordon smiles and raises his glass up to Bill. BILL MAHER (CONT’D) Talk about your sour grapes. Seriously Gordon -- just because the SEC doesn’t let you make obscene amounts of money by being wrong and nefarious doesn’t mean you have to ruin it for all of these hard working people. The room applauds... BILL MAHER (CONT’D) Okay, we have a video to show now. It’s a very detailed and academic account of the current mortgage crises. Let ‘er rip! And the room goes dark... and on the screen plays a childlike roughly illustrated stick-figure skit being narrated by children. First frame Under the caption “Main Street National Bank” is a drawing of a Poor Man sitting across from a Banker Man behind his desk. POOR MAN I’d like a mortgage... I don’t really have any money though... is that cool? BANKER MAN Totally cool. Since housing prices are always going up it won’t be a problem. POOR MAN You guys are awesome! Next frame Under the caption “A few weeks later at the bank...” Banker Man now stands over a pile of steaming shit.
88.
BANKER MAN Wow, these mortgages are really beginning to smell. I better sell them to smart people. Next frame Under the caption of “Smart People Investment Bank” Smart Man stands over the same steaming pile of shit. SMART MAN Wow, these mortgages we just bought really smell. I better sell them to foreigners. Next frame Under the caption of “The CDO Factory” our smart man oversees an assembly line of stick figure workers. SMART MAN (CONT’D) Mix those crappy mortgages in real good with the clean ones so the rating agencies won’t smell them. Next frame Under the caption of “Rich Man Hedge Fund” a stick figure named Rich Man sits behind his desk and holds a phone to his ear. RICH MAN Good news, Smart Man, not only did foreigners buy those traunches, but so did school boards and charities and big pensions. (beat) Why did they buy them you ask? Well, they were looking for a really secure risk-free investment and they were all triple A, so... Next frame Under the caption “Norwegian Village Pension Fund” a Norwegian Man sits behind his desk and shouts into his phone. NORWEGIAN MAN Hey man! What the fuck? We’re not receiving our monthly payments! Next frame Under the caption “Rich Man Hedge Fund,” Rich Man at his desk on the phone. RICH MAN Yeah, we fucked up.
89.
And it now shuffles between the last two frames... the Norwegian Man and Rich Man. NORWEGIAN MAN What about the rating agencies? RICH MAN Yeah, they fucked up too. NORWEGIAN MAN What about the investment bank that put these CDO’s together? Fucked up.
RICH MAN
NORWEGIAN MAN What about the bank that made the original loan? RICH MAN Totally fucked up. NORWEGIAN MAN What am I supposed to tell my villagers? RICH MAN That you fucked up. The final frame Just the rendering of that steaming pile of shit under the caption... “The End.” And the lights go on to a some subdued laughter and a smattering of applause. BILL MAHER What a year -- enjoy the night! INT.
FINANCIAL FOLLIES - LATER
Desert is served. Jackets are off, cigars are lit, Bretton’s wife has gone home. The group at the table is a little drunk and having a good time. BRETTON WOODS It’s a good question... what do you think, George? GEORGE, an investment banker at the table, thinks about it. GEORGE The definition of rich... flying private. The table reacts... some agree, other don’t. Jacob.
George turns to
90.
Jacob... ?
GEORGE (CONT’D) What do you think?
JACOB To be rich... is to have the love of a good woman. They all boo... JACOB (CONT’D) (with a smile) For real... I truly believe that. And Jacob turns to Bretton... JACOB (CONT’D) Bretton... what’s your definition of rich? An approaching voice answers it for him. VOICE (O.S.) To have twice as much money as you currently do. As he takes a seat... GORDON GEKKO Isn’t that what you always say, Bretton? Then... announcing to the table... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) He brings up the question, runs it round the table then finishes with that. It’s an old bit. Also announcing to the table... BRETTON WOODS Be careful Gordon... (looking at Jacob) ... your daughter’s financial health is in my hands now. Jacob loses his smile... suddenly becoming uncomfortable. GORDON GEKKO That’s right. (beat) And the way The Locust Fund has been buying up the insurance companies lately makes me worried about my future grandchildren’s college educations. JACOB (to Bretton) I didn’t tell him.
91.
BRETTON WOODS No, I don’t suppose you did. Bretton looks over to Jacob. BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) Go ahead, Jacob, preach your book... defend your names. And Jacob turns to Gordon... JACOB We have a proactive central bank, the charts show a clear bottom on July 15th and these companies are trading at half of what they were six months ago. GORDON GEKKO Just cause it’s low don’t make it cheap, Sport. JACOB I read your book. GORDON GEKKO It’s not out yet. JACOB I have a friend in publishing. (beat) 25% unemployment... stagflation... bread lines... Martial law... government seizures of assets and gold... end of democracy... Bretton leans back... taking in this sparring match. JACOB (CONT’D) Really Gordon? Do you really need attention that badly? GORDON GEKKO Since I have forty-four seconds to spare, I’m going to tell you a story. It’s about a guy named Sam. And we go close on Gekko... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) Sam used to work a job, he made things and he grew things and he sold those things. Until one day Sam got a credit card and was amazed how easy it was to buy things with it. So Sam got another card and then another. Then he used the credit card money to make it look like he had an income... and he used that “income” to secure a loan. (MORE)
92. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) And with that loan Sam bought a fancy BMW car and rented a fancy penthouse apartment. (beat) Now, the credit cards hit their limit and the bank needed him to service that loan, so Sam went to his friends. His Chinese friend... and his Japanese friend... and his British friend and so on. And his friends loaned Sam money. (another beat) And that brings us to today... where Sam owes the credit cards and Sam owes the banks and Sam owes his friends and eventually they’re going to take away Sam’s fancy BMW car and his fancy penthouse apartment. And Jacob can now see... in Gordon Gekko’s eyes... he truly believes every word he’s saying. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) And Sam doesn’t make anything anymore and Sam doesn’t grow anything anymore so Sam doesn’t sell anything anymore. As he stands... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) Our favorite Uncle Sam’s desperate, Jake... and he just found a printing press in his basement. (beat) So you tell me -- where do we go from here? And with that, Gordon Gekko goes. BRETTON WOODS (re Gekko) It is sad isn’t it? That he can’t just take his ball and go home. (beat) That he has to piss on the whole game. EXT.
533 THIRD AVENUE - MORNING
Rushed, Jacob heads through the lobby of his building. catches his stride. DIEGO (doing his best Howard Cosell) Down goes Lehman! Down goes Lehman! Down goes Lehman! And Jacob just keeps walking...
Diego
93.
INT.
THE LOCUST FUND/JACOB’S OFFICE - MORNING
Jacob heads into the office to find Bretton sitting behind his desk. BRETTON WOODS They’re not going to save it. They’re just going to let it bloody die! And sure enough... on the tv... Fox Business runs footage of Lehman Brother’s demise. On the screen, the chyron screams: $700 BILLION GOVERNMENT BAILOUT TO THE BANKS! ALEXIS GLICK (ON TV) And as another US banking institution collapses, Congress is working quickly on a bailout package that will distribute over three hundred billion dollars to other banks in trouble. Bretton turns off the tv and looks to Jacob with... BRETTON WOODS We’re getting fucking killed. And Jacob looks up to his electronic ticker... MCC $18.53 -2.34, ACN $12.04 -1.35, ISS $7.03 -.65. JACOB It’s capitulation. Bretton holds Jacob’s look... fighting to keep his composure. Until... he simply stands and offers Jacob his desk back. BRETTON WOODS Then buy more. Jacob takes his chair and reaches for the phone. BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) Cost us down to current levels. Jacob looks up, surprised. BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) It’s just a question of time before this turns around... right? And he glares at Jacob. Right.
JACOB
Bretton just stares nervously at the electronic ticker... a frazzled gambler talking himself into his bet. Fuck it.
BRETTON WOODS
94.
As he goes... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) Leverage is sexy. AND WERE BACK ON THE CHART As a circle forms on Sept 16th then travels down the trend line and stops. And as a circle is formed around the Sept 24th, we... CUT TO: INT.
JACOB’S APARTMENT - NIGHT
LCD reads 4:43 am. ceiling.
Jacob lays awake... staring at the
WINNIE (O.S.) I would hear him in the kitchen. Jacob turns to see she’s awake. JACOB I’m sorry, you have an early train. I’m going to just go to the office now. She leans up. WINNIE He didn’t want to keep my mother awake so he’d go into the kitchen and sit there. I could hear him because my room was right up the back stairs. I’d go and sit with him sometimes. We’d eat ice cream. Jacob gets out of bed and throws on his robe. WINNIE (CONT’D) I was only eight but I could tell he was worried about something and that made me worried. (softly, almost to herself) Then the market would go back up and he would sleep through the night again. JACOB It’s not the market, Winnie. As he sits on the edge of the bed... JACOB (CONT’D) It’s just that I haven’t been able to sleep through the night since... The thought trails off... she leans up and kisses him.
95.
WINNIE I wish I could tell you something was going to come along that would make it better but I can’t. It’s just going to take time, Jacob. A lot of time. And she looks into his eyes... WINNIE (CONT’D) Have you been counting Fridays? He slowly nods. WINNIE (CONT’D) I still count Tuesdays. (beat) All seven hundred and twenty eight of them. He leans over and kisses her forehead. JACOB Go back to sleep. And he goes... After a beat, she sees Jacob’s wallet. WINNIE (calling out after him) Jacob, you forgot... She jumps out of bed, grabs the wallet and goes after him, but... it opens up and Winnie notices the picture inside. And she stops, staring at that picture. Her and her father on that white horse... taken years ago. A picture she knows she never gave to Jacob. INT.
THE LOCUST FUND/JACOB’S OFFICE - MORNING
Jacob heads in and turns on Fox Business... BRIAN SULLIVAN (ON TV) It’s a complete unmitigated bloodbath out there. The S&P tried to rally at about 10am but it was met with yet another brutal wave of selling and people... we’re now at our lows for the day, the week, the month and the year. Jacob looks up at ticker on the wall. MCC $15.13 -3.40, ACN $10.10 -1.96, ISS $5.14 -1.89.
96.
And he stares at that ticker... at the The Locust Fund’s methodical death. Suddenly... BRETTON WOODS (O.S.) Are you happy? He stands in the doorway holding a drink. We’re done.
BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D)
And Bretton CHUCKS the drink against the wall and the glass shatters. Jacob takes a step back. Bretton’s in a complete state as he walks over to Jacob’s desk and SWIPES it clean... papers flying about. Finished...
BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D)
Now he picks up the chair... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) Bank notices... ... throws it against the window... which cracks. BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) Margin calls... As he punches the monitor of Jacob’s Bloomberg... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) Redemptions... And Jacob just stands there... wide-eyed.
Just looking at...
BRETTON WOODS Face full of sweat... blood all over his hand... hair strewn about... completely out of breath... bloodshot red eyes... a beaten down mess of a man. JACOB What happened to composure, Bretton? BRETTON WOODS Well, I suppose it went to hell with your fucking insurance stocks. And Bretton calms down, walks to the window. BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) It’s not making sense to me anymore. The market always made sense to me and for the most part... I was better than it... quicker than it. (MORE)
97. BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) (beat) But it’s moving too fast now and it looks like the world is going to shit anyway. And he faces Jacob Moore. BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) If I unwind the fund now I’ll still walk with six hundred million or so. And Jacob’s face falls... this is news to him. What?
JACOB
BRETTON WOODS It’s time to call it a day. Spend more time with my family. I suppose this moment comes for all of us. JACOB You still have six hundred million? Bretton vacantly nods. And Jacob Moore... trying his best to hide his disappointment... JACOB (CONT’D) (almost to himself) That’s a fortune. With a shrug... BRETTON WOODS I guess it’s all relative. Bretton then takes a moment... confirming to himself that this is the right decision... then finally looks over to Jacob with... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) And Jacob -- you’re the worst portfolio manager I’ve ever seen. INT.
CENTRAL PARK - DUSK
Sheep’s meadow... painted in the soft light of sunset. Fresh off his morning run, Gordon wears a sweat suit and works a vitamin water. Jacob approaches in his suit. JACOB He wants to close the fund... he wants to ride off into the fucking sunset... Okay...
GORDON GEKKO
98.
JACOB No, it’s not okay... because we’re so fucking close... and he’s going to walk with six hundred million dollars and that’s unacceptable. And Gordon sighs in defeat... GORDON GEKKO I don’t know what to tell you, Pal. You wanted to make him bleed, I wanted my daughter back... As he walks... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) ... looks like life brings disappointment to us all. And Jacob... as he matches Gordon’s stride... in a complete state. JACOB What happened to slaughtering men, Gordon? What happened to turning them into penny-ante brokers in Poughkeepsie? Gordon stops walking. GORDON GEKKO Look at you. This can’t possibly be the man my daughter fell in love with. Jacob turns away. JACOB I want to finish the job. Why?
GORDON GEKKO
JACOB Because nobody gave a shit about me before Andrew Zabel came along. Because he didn’t deserve what he got. GORDON GEKKO The universe is an efficient market, Kid... we all get what we deserve. Did you?
JACOB
Now it’s Gordon who looks away. GORDON GEKKO I know you cared about him... and I know how that motivates. But Jacob... he wasn’t such a Saint.
99.
And with that, Gordon Gekko heads on his way... JACOB What’s that supposed to mean? GORDON GEKKO You don’t want to know. Jacob steps forward... shouting out after him... JACOB I’m sorry she doesn’t want anything to do with you, Gordon -- I’m sorry she doesn’t love you! Gordon stops walking.
Turns...
GORDON GEKKO Okay Jake... you want to know. Jacob sharply nods. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) Did you ever think about it? I mean really think about it? How someone could make money year after year... even through bear markets? Jacob just stands there... listening... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) On November 15th, 1903 an Italian man arrived aboard the S.S. Vancouver in Boston. He had two dollars and fifty cents to his name. Yet just a few years later he was millionaire. You wanna know how? He had invented a scheme... it was quite simple actually. And Jacob now steps forward... piecing it together... No...
JACOB
GORDON GEKKO He would get people to invest with him by offering larger than normal returns then pay the old investors with the new investors money. As long as there was fresh money, he could keep going. Do you know what his name was, Jacob? It was Charles... (beat) Charles Ponzi. FLASH TO AN OLD BRICK BUILDING “Jenkov Foundation For Brain Research” above the door... RESEARCHERS in lab coats coming in and out of it.
100.
GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) Research facilities... THEN TO A COLLEGE CAMPUS STUDENTS walking the quad... wearing backpacks and socializing... GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) And scholarships... THEN TO A BIKE PATH Somewhere in Florida. A COUPLE in their 70s enjoying a beautiful day... riding bicycles side by side... GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) And retirees... AND RIGHT BACK TO CENTRAL PARK Gordon steps forward... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) All of them went to bed thinking they were perfectly fine... are going to wake up to find they’re completely wiped out... JACOB You’re lying. GORDON GEKKO I’m not, Son. I wish I were. Jacob just stands there... stunned with what he’s hearing. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) See Jacob, you knew how to get that out of me. By playing me off of what I really want... my daughter back. (beat) So you need get Bretton back in the game... play him off of what he really wants. And off Jacob’s reaction... INT.
15TH STREET DINER - NIGHT
Jacob shares a table with our Morgan Stanley Portfolio Manager. MORGAN PORTFOLIO MANAGER It’s ugly out there dude. I wake up everyday wondering if today’s the day we’re going under.
101.
I know. you...
JACOB But I do have something for
And as Morgan Portfolio Manager leans forward in anticipation... INT.
TOYOTA DEALERSHIP - DAY
As Jacob and Hedge Fund PM walk the floor... checking out the new 2009 Prius. HEDGE FUND PM I was going to get the new Maserati, but... you know... Jacob slowly nods.
Then...
JACOB So I heard something earlier today... EXT.
RIVERSIDE PARK - DAY
As Jacob jogs with our blogger from Streetaccount.com. BLOGGER It’s so much better working out outdoors... that gym was so stuffy. JACOB Not to mention expensive. Right.
BLOGGER
JACOB So, you’ve obviously heard the rumor? And Blogger looks over to Jacob... he hasn’t. INT.
STREETACCOUNT.COM OFFICES - MORNING
As our blogger from the gym sips his coffee, fires up his computer and starts to type... INT.
THE CAPITAL FUND/NEW YORK OFFICES - MORNING
As Hedge Fund PM stands up to present to the team with a confident smile... INT.
MORGAN STANLEY/PRIVATE CLIENT GROUP OFFICES - MORNING
As Morgan Portfolio receives the digital receipt... “1209 instant messages sent.” EXT.
15 CENTRAL PARK WEST - NIGHT
As the cab stops outside of the building...
102.
INT.
BRETTON WOODS’S OFFICE - NIGHT
As the thunder claps outside. Jacob stares at the Goya painting... Saturno Devorando a sus hijos Saturn. The man being eaten alive. BRETTON WOODS (O.S.) I don’t like unannounced visits. JACOB United Bancorp is going under. Wells Fargo has stepped up but the offer is insanely low. BRETTON WOODS I know all this. JACOB You still have the fund and you still have the leverage that comes with it. You want out of the game... buy a bank. Bretton skeptically regards Jacob. BRETTON WOODS Why are you doing this? JACOB Because I got you into those insurance companies... because I let you down... And Bretton... biting his lip in thought... BRETTON WOODS I don’t like the mortgage toxic waste. It can’t be quantified... and it spreads... JACOB I worked it out already. have to take it.
You wouldn’t
BRETTON WOODS How’d you do that? JACOB Well, Wells won’t insure the Zabel institutional money. It’s against their policy. And then... JACOB (CONT’D) I told them you would. BRETTON WOODS Then who would take on the mortgage securities?
103.
Uncle Sam.
JACOB
Bretton slowly nods... taking all this in... BRETTON WOODS So, I’d get the bank, the KZI assets including the institutional fund yet none of the mortgage securities. As Jacob leans forward... going in for the kill... JACOB You could actually own the bank your father toiled away at his whole career. Think about that, Bretton. Bretton just shakes his head. BRETTON WOODS We’re going to lose our credit. facing margin calls.
I’m
JACOB So in order to stay in the game... we need fresh money. Bretton nods... Oleg--
JACOB (CONT’D)
BRETTON WOODS (not going to work) Oil’s crashing. Jacob thinks for a moment, then... JACOB And how much do we need? BRETTON WOODS Fifty, sixty million minimum... and that’s just to hold off the current margin calls. And Bretton just sighs... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) God, de-leveraging is a bitch. Standing... Sit tight. money.
JACOB I’m going to get us the
And Jacob goes... Bretton calling out after him...
104.
BRETTON WOODS From who... ? EXT.
UNION SQUARE BORDERS BOOKS - DAY
“Moral Hazard! Why Wall Street Has Finally Gone Too Far” is now everywhere. In large cut outs and piles on tables and in the store’s windows. Jacob arrives at the end of the line... New York’s newest best selling author is having a book signing. AND GORDON GEKKO Signs a book and looks up at the LADY who gave it to him. LADY I have a question... what exactly is “moral hazard?” With a smile... GORDON GEKKO Short version -- taking risks you’re not accountable for with other people’s money. And the next person steps up and hands Gordon a copy. JACOB He’s going for it.
We’re almost home.
As he signs it... GORDON GEKKO There you go. JACOB But he needs fresh money to serve the leverage. A hundred million. Gordon just shrugs. GORDON GEKKO I’m a writer now. We don’t make that much. As the line of people holding their new books start to get impatient... JACOB I know that, but I figured you might know how to get it. Handing Jacob back the signed copy...
105.
GORDON GEKKO Well, if you need money that badly, Jake... you might want to check closer to home. Off Jacob’s confused reaction... EXT.
THE MALL/WASHINGTON DC - DAY
As they walk the mall... the Nation’s Capitol behind them... It’s a lot. How much?
WINNIE JACOB
WINNIE I don’t know, Jacob. considered it mine.
I never really
JACOB But it is... right?
It’s your money?
And she faces him... regarding his urgency... WINNIE (glaring at him) You might want to wipe some of the drool off your face... JACOB I’m not kidding. This is important. As they continue to walk... WINNIE Yes, it’s mine. When he went to prison, my father put a lot of money in our names. And when Rudy died it all became mine. (beat) But it’s in a trust. I can’t get to it until I’m thirty-five and even then I was planning on giving it to charity. JACOB Let’s say I can figure out a way for you to get it. Take a loan against it -- something like that. Will you do that for me? WINNIE Why are you doing this, Jacob? Jacob takes a moment... looking away with...
106.
JACOB This is my only chance to make things right, Winnie. And she just regards him... not sure... INT.
MILBANK,TWEED,HADLEY & MCCLOY LAW OFFICES - DAY
As Jacob walks down the hall with KEN HADLEY, estate lawyer to Manhattan’s elite. HADLEY Gordon couldn’t invest any of his money so he put most of it into the children’s names with directions on how it was to be invested. (beat) He definitely knew what he was doing... JACOB And how could Winnie get it now? Hadley stops walking and thinks about it. HADLEY Well, she’d have to sign a reversion of trust document. That way the funds would revert back to their pre-trust posture and regulations. JACOB So all she has to do is sign a piece of paper? Basically.
HADLEY
As that registers... JACOB How much is in there? HADLEY It’s complicated. There’s private equity ownership, real estate, a very large position in a bank... all sorts of investment vehicles. JACOB Ballpark it for me. HADLEY I don’t know. Assuming immediate liquidity... over three hundred million. And with that, Jacob sets to go.
But...
107.
HADLEY (CONT’D) Of course... Gordon would have to sign the document as well. AND GORDON GEKKO In the make-up chair of the Fox Business channel green room, speaks into his phone. GORDON GEKKO You also would need the trust’s executor to sign it. INTERCUT WITH... Jacob as he walks down 5th avenue... JACOB Who is that? GORDON GEKKO Sammy Redding. He’s a lifelong friend. It won’t be a problem. JACOB What about you? GORDON GEKKO I would love to sign it, Jacob. Consider it done. Walking down 5th avenue... Thank you.
JACOB Thank you, Gordon.
GORDON GEKKO Just after you agree to two things. Anything.
JACOB
GORDON GEKKO Before Bretton buys the bank, he must use all of Winnie’s money and all the Locust Fund’s leverage to go against the market. They’re about to pass this bailout and I want to be on the other side of it. (beat) This thing’s going to hell in a bucket and I’m sick of being on sidelines, Pal. JACOB But what about-GORDON GEKKO It’s just for a few weeks then it’s right back to our plan.
108.
Accepting that... JACOB Okay. (and then) What’s the second thing... ? And as that hangs... WINNIE GEKKO As she starts to sign the forms... we’re in... INT.
MILBANK, TWEED, HADLEY & MCCLOY/CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
Silence. A clock ticks. A large table. Three LAWYERS sit on one side. Winnie and Jacob on the other and Gordon at the head. Winnie finishes signing the forms then slides them back to Hadley who hands them to Gordon. Jacob takes her hand but she pulls it away. And after Gordon signs the papers, they all stand. Gordon just looks at Winnie, who’s now looking back at him. Tears beginning to well. And he slowly opens his arms... GORDON GEKKO Winnie... come here... you’re all I have left now. And she slowly walks over to him... to his embrace... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) He was my only son. And I messed that up. I messed it all up, I know that. She’s now crying. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) But please... forgive me... And confirming through her tears... WINNIE You always get what you want, Dad. And Jacob Moore... witnessing this strange reunion... realizing how right she is... INT.
JACOB’S OFFICE - DAY
Jacob’s on the phone in his office, watching coverage of a vote on the Senate floor...
109.
JACOB (into his phone) Okay, it looks like this bailout’s going to pass... SPLIT THE SCREEN Robby, with a phone to his ear... JACOB (CONT’D) (into his phone) ... there’s going to be an initial bounce... SPLIT THE SCREEN AGAIN... AND AGAIN... AND AGAIN... Each time to another broker with a phone to their ear... our six brokers from before... JACOB (CONT’D) (into his phone) We’re going to sell that bounce. AND THEN FOX BUSINESS NEWS COVERAGE Day by day... Alexis Glick starting off the day’s coverage. And each new day finds Alexis in a different outfit with a different headline above her head. We don’t hear her, it moves quickly and it’s ugly. “BAILOUT PASSED -- MARKET RALLIES” JACOB (V.O.) (CONT’D) First we’re going to unload all of our positions in the insurers. “DOW REVERSES COURSE TRADES BELOW 10,000” JACOB (V.O.) (CONT’D) Then we’re going to go the other way... we’re going to bet against this market... aggressively. “DOW LOSES 2400 POINTS IN 4 SESSIONS JACOB (V.O.) (CONT’D) Against the S&P, the Nasdaq, the Dow... “MARKET CRASH CONTINUES” JACOB (V.O.) (CONT’D) ... the financials, China, India, Brazil... “WORLD MARKETS SIGNAL DEPRESSION AHEAD”
110.
JACOB (V.O.) (CONT’D) ... the brokerages that are still left, all the froth from the last two years... AND WERE BACK ON THE CHART As a circle forms on October 10th then travels the trend line down even further to late October and stops. JACOB (V.O.) (CONT’D) Gentlemen, anything that can be sold... we’re going to sell. And as a circle is formed around the date of October 27th, we... CUT TO: INT.
533 THIRD AVENUE/LOBBY- MORNING
Jacob gets off the elevator and sees Diego who doesn’t say anything. What?
JACOB No market joke today?
Diego just shrugs... DIEGO It stopped being funny. Jacob softly nods and heads on his way. INT.
JACOB’S OFFICE - DAY
Jacob heads in to find Bretton waiting for him. JACOB I thought you were in London. Jacob nods. BRETTON WOODS The United Bancorp deal is going to go through. I’ve begun unwinding all our positions. JACOB But our deal with Gordon was that we have to stay short until November 5th. Bretton just looks at him. What?
JACOB (CONT’D)
111.
BRETTON WOODS Jacob, Gordon redeemed all his money yesterday. We’re clean with him. And this hits Jacob like a ton of bricks... BRETTON WOODS (CONT’D) Is something wrong? No.
JACOB No, everything’s great.
Forcing out a smile... JACOB (CONT’D) Let’s go buy a bank. INT.
655 PARK AVENUE/HALLWAY - NIGHT
As the LANDLORD walks down the hall with Jacob and Winnie. JACOB Thank you, he hasn’t answered his phone and we’re very worried. The landlord nods and unlocks the apartment door for them... INT.
GEKKO’S APARTMENT - DAY
And they walk in to find the place completely empty. Everything’s gone save for one thing... that framed picture of the woman filling her stove with money. Jacob slowly walks over to the it and stares it down... JACOB He played me... She joins his side... JACOB (CONT’D) He played us. WINNIE I don’t give a shit about the money. And she turns to face him. WINNIE (CONT’D) This is who he is. He sucks in a deep breath, then... JACOB I lied to you. I contacted him. I spent time with him. Without you knowing.
112.
I knew. You knew?
WINNIE JACOB
WINNIE I saw the picture in your wallet. JACOB Then why didn’t you say anything? WINNIE Because I wanted to give you a chance to say something first. (beat) Because I love you, I really do. She takes off the “fuck you” ring... WINNIE (CONT’D) And because I desperately wanted to find something in you to believe in. (shaking her head in disappointment) But Jacob... you’ve become that exact thing I’ve been trying to master... ... and places it into his palm. WINNIE (CONT’D) ... you’ve become him. INT.
MILBANK, TWEED, HADLEY & MCCLOY OFFICES - MORNING
Hadley sits behind his desk. HADLEY It’s completely legal, Jacob. The funds reverted back to the pre-trust posture... that means the money was technically Gordon’s again. Hadley just shrugs... JACOB But he’s not allowed to trade. HADLEY He didn’t trade. JACOB He put the money into the hedge fund, that’s considered capital investment. HADLEY Jacob, Gordon never put the money into a hedge fund. He simply took control of the bank.
113.
Bank?
JACOB What bank?
HADLEY Hudson River. I told you about the position in the bank. Jacob’s stunned... JACOB Hudson River... ?
I don’t understand.
SLAM INTO/BUCHANAN NEW YORK A sleepy town... HADLEY (V.O.) Well, Gordon had placed his Hudson River shares into the trust before he was convicted. You do know he started out there? A rental car parks out front of a small bank. and heads for the bank...
Jacob emerges
HADLEY (V.O.) (CONT’D) Okay, then the trust aggressively acquired more shares about two years ago... enough to have a controlling position in the bank. And Jacob stops walking when he sees... a group of angry depositors forming outside and a sign hanging in the doorway... “Closed.” AND RIGHT BACK TO Jacob and Hadley... JACOB But how? Gordon wasn’t allowed to control the trust. HADLEY That’s right. All of the trust’s moves were made by its executor. JACOB Sammy Redding? Confused... HADLEY Sammy Redding? Who the hell is Sammy Redding? (beat) Jacob, the executor of Winnie’s trust has always been Bretton Woods. And as that slams into Jacob Moore...
114.
INT.
BOEING 767 - NIGHT
As Jacob takes his seat and settles in for the long flight. He’s flying commercial... and in coach. EXT.
LONDON - DAY
It’s raining and gray. INT.
REDMAYNE AND BENTLEY BROKERAGE - DAY
As Jacob walks the hallowed halls of this old school stock brokerage with the MANAGER... JACOB So we’re throwing Bretton’s birthday party at Balmoral. MANAGER Well, we’re very proud to have such a resounding success hail from these hallowed halls I assure you. (beat) We’ve been trying to get Bretton to come back and speak to our younger brokers, but... he’s a hard man to reach. JACOB That’s funny because he often speaks about his days here at Redmayne and Bentley... anyway, what I’m hoping you can help me with were records of his early trades. Years ago. (beat) We think it’ll be fun to bring up some of Bretton’s real losers from when he was starting out... you know we all have dogs. MANAGER Of course... but it is against policy to allow just anyone to see those records. JACOB I completely understand. How about this? I’ll make you a trade. (beat) You let me see the records for Bretton’s party... And with a killer smile... JACOB (CONT’D) ... and I’ll make sure Bretton gives your young brokers a speech that will blow them away.
115.
INT.
REDMAYNE AND BENTLEY BROKERAGE/RECORDS HALL - LATER
As Jacob looks over the old documents... trading ledgers from twenty-five years ago. Down the list we see him circle all the unusually large successful trades. And then follow them to the client # on the right side of the ledger. And Jacob realizes it’s the same client # every time. #41.
Client
JACOB Wow, Bretton -- you really kicked some ass for client forty one. Finally Jacob turns to the back of the ledger, to the client key, where he moves the pencil down to client #41 and it says... Gordon Gekko. JACOB (CONT’D) (all making sense now) Bud Fox wasn’t the only one. INT.
IMPRESSIVE TOWNHOUSE - NIGHT
Jacob waits in the large entry hall... holding a cheap umbrella he bought at Heathrow. And down from the stairs walks... OLEG It’s been a bitch of a month, my friend... tell me this visit does not bring bad news. INT.
OLEG’S LIBRARY - NIGHT
Oleg sips his vodka and looks at Jacob. OLEG You want me to audit The Locust Fund? JACOB That’s right. I want you to tell Bretton you need the official records of all the fund’s activity starting with when you gave him the original two hundred million. You need this because The Russian Federal Tax Service is up your ass and you have to play ball with them. OLEG And if he declines... ? JACOB You’ll have no choice but to pull your money.
116.
Oleg lights a cigarette... exhaling the smoke with... OLEG And why would I do that? And Jacob leans forward... JACOB Because if you do this for me, Oleg, I’ll teach you the Andrew Zabel magic. I’ll explain to you, in detail, all of his techniques... I’ll give you all his secrets... it’s less complicated than you might think. INT.
LONDON MOTEL ROOM - DAY
Darkness, until... a phone rings. it.
Jacob wakes up and takes
JACOB Hello... Okay, thank you. He moves to the curtains then opens them. And the daylight spills in. INT.
OLEG’S LIBRARY - DAY
Oleg slides four encyclopedia-sized bounded stacks of printouts across his desk. OLEG All the Locust Fund’s trades for the last two years. Jacob nods, placing them into his bag. And Oleg lights a cigarette... looks right at us... excited... leaning forward with... OLEG (CONT’D) Now give it to me. Let me behind the Andrew Zabel curtain... INT.
767 - DAY
As Jacob flies back to New York. He flips through the Locust Fund trading ledgers, shaking his head in disbelief. INT.
WINNIE’S APARTMENT - MORNING
Winnie answers the door to find... JACOB They were working together. father and Bretton. Walking back into the apartment...
Your
117.
WINNIE Jacob, what are you doing here? Following her in... JACOB Gordon wanted the trust the whole time. And when I came to him seeking revenge... he saw his window. Upset, she looks for her keys. WINNIE I have to go to work. JACOB Bretton owed him a favor because he fed your father information twenty three years ago when he was a young broker in London and your father never ratted him out. She just looks at him... shaking her head... and not in disapproval... but in pity. But he keeps going. JACOB (CONT’D) And he never put the money into Bretton’s fund. Turns out your trust had built up a controlling position in Hudson River Bank. WINNIE That’s the bank he worked at when I was born. JACOB Well, now he owns it. Or shall I say pilfered it before he went AWOL. (beat) And that money wasn’t even the bank’s... it was taxpayers’... bailout money. As this washes over a stunned Winnie Gekko... Jesus...
WINNIE
And Jacob confirms... JACOB He saw this coming years ago... from his cell. I’m guessing he made off with billions. And he throws something on the table. JACOB (CONT’D) And now look?
118.
It’s a copy of Portfolio Magazine with a picture of Gordon on cover under the headline... “Guess Who’s Back and Getting Rich Betting Against You?” JACOB (CONT’D) He’s in London... giving interviews and being hailed as a genius. Everyone’s buying his book and waiting to see his next move. Desperately trying to get her mind around this... WINNIE But what about the SEC, the regulatory agencies-- ? JACOB The government is flying this 700 billion dollar airplane by the seat of it’s pants. They don’t know where half of the fucking money is going. And even if they did, do you think they want this out there? As this all washes over her... WINNIE This is his revenge. JACOB Yup... sure beats the hell out of insider trading, doesn’t it? And Winnie finds her keys and heads for the door... WINNIE I can’t hear anymore of this. ... but Jacob steps in front of her. JACOB I’m done. I sold everything. The ring. Everything. I gave back the KZI bonus. I’m out and I’m broke and I deserve it. And she just looks at him... JACOB (CONT’D) But Winnie, the one thing I can’t accept -- is losing you. And before she reacts... WERE BACK ON THE CHART As a circle forms on Nov 6th then travels quite a ways then finally stops. Unfortunately, this slope down the S&P trendline is quite pronounced.
119.
And as a circle is formed around Jan 24th 2009, we... CUT TO: THE CABIN OF A BOEING 777 As Jacob opens up a copy of Barron’s... Gekko on the cover under the caption “What’s His Next Move?” AND BRETTON WOODS In an official office of our Federal Reserve Bank, proudly signing the documents... AND ALONG THE BANKS OF THE PERSIAN GULF Dubai in the background. Jacob waits against a bench. And across the way he sees... approaching him... Gordon Gekko. GORDON GEKKO Did you see Barrons? JACOB You finally got the cover. Gordon nods. JACOB (CONT’D) Everybody thinks you got rich of betting against the system. If they only knew... GORDON GEKKO The powers that be will never let that happen. Jacob’s not arguing it... JACOB How much is enough, Gordon? Gordon laughs with a shake of the head. GORDON GEKKO I’ve been asked that before... (and then) They took a hundred, twenty two thousand, six hundred and forty hours from me... for a goddamn victimless crime. All the while I sit in my 8 by 12 and watch real crooks by the thousands give out mortgages like candy, package them into unexplainable derivatives and spit the cancer out into the world. And he just shakes his head...
120.
GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) And when I get out... who’s there waiting for me? Nobody. (beat) You better believe I’m going to get mine. JACOB You’re not going to miss America? GORDON GEKKO I’ll always have America... it’s why I’m here. I’m buying the island. (beat) I know it’s kitschy but it’s fun and good for business. Looking over the water... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) I have a lot business abroad now. Interests in an Australian copper mine, a German solar company, some Russian oil pipelines, a casino in Macau... see Jake, America just isn’t where the action is anymore. JACOB What happened to the precious depreciating asset of time? GORDON GEKKO It still trades... And he turns to Jacob with a smile... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) ... but I’m a billionaire now, Pal. JACOB I’m out, Gordon, I’m done trading. GORDON GEKKO I don’t know why. You pulled it off, Kid, you took him down -- granted with my help -- but you atoned for Zabel’s sins with Bretton’s money. (beat) As I see it, you’re just getting started. And Jacob stops walking then slowly turns to Gordon with... JACOB Did you ever really want to reconcile with her? GORDON GEKKO (of course I did) I’m human.
121.
Glaring at him... JACOB Then why did you do it? And Gordon... strongly holding Jacob’s glare... simply replies... GORDON GEKKO Same answer. JACOB But it didn’t work. Gordon sadly shrugs... GORDON GEKKO I’ve been trying to wire two hundred million into her bank account but she won’t accept it. JACOB I know. She doesn’t want it... we don’t want it. (beat) Because it’s not about what you have... it’s about what you do. And Gordon -- it’s never about the money. Gordon shakes his head. GORDON GEKKO That sounds good. I bet you can even wrap it in a pretty red bow. But Champ, it’s idealistic... and idealism kills every trade. (beat) Winnie will realize that at some point... and then we’ll be fine. And Jacob finally looks away... in pity. GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) See Jacob -- the hustle we all fall for is actually thinking we can fight what’s inherent, what’s inevitable... that we can somehow undo what genetics, or God, or whatever name you wanna tag it, has placed deep inside of us. Because whether it’s greed or revenge or the compulsion to chase... it all amounts to the same thing... loss of control. And it’s always going to be there and it’s always going to be stronger than you, Pal. Now walking again...
122.
GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) It’s why bubbles will always exist and it’s why we’re all currently in this mess. Joining Gordon’s stride... JACOB Winnie’s pregnant. And Gordon stops walking. JACOB (CONT’D) It’s going to be a boy. GORDON GEKKO What do you want? JACOB It’s bad out there, Gordon, people are panicked. They’re not looking to their government. They’re not looking to their trusted advisors. They’re looking to you. GORDON GEKKO You want me to buy? And Jacob Moore... slowly confirming... JACOB Publicly and aggressively. Gordon just looks at him. JACOB (CONT’D) But they’re all lemmings. Simple psychology. You once said every crash should have a JP Morgan to step in and save it. (beat) Well Gordon -- this is your chance to be JP Morgan. And now Gordon shakes his head... GORDON GEKKO We’re far from the bottom. dead cat bounce.
It’ll be a
JACOB It’ll buy us time. That’s all I’m asking for... time. (beat) Time for the new administration to put their plan into action. GORDON GEKKO What do I get in return?
123.
As Gordon turns... takes in the city of Dubai... in all of its ridiculous splendor... JACOB Full clemency. GORDON GEKKO You can offer that? JACOB Your daughter can. She works with the new Secretary of Treasury now. Considering that... What else?
GORDON GEKKO
JACOB Winnie. Me. Your grandson. Something money can’t buy... a family. And Gordon looks at him for the longest moments, allowing it all to register, then... GORDON GEKKO Sorry son -- that’s simply a trade I cannot make. And as Gordon Gekko walks off... leaving Jacob Moore behind... GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) You wanna know what the mother of all bubbles was? Us. The human race. Scientists call it the Cambrian Explosion, from the Cambrian fauna. AND RONALD REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT As Jacob heads into the baggage claim area to see Winnie waiting for him... GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) It happened 530 million years ago... when all of the sudden, there was the seemingly rapid appearance of most major groups of complex animals. And as they embrace... GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) And from it was born humanity. AND GORDON GEKKO Being led through a massive empty space... office space...
124.
GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) It was an explosion of life. Scientists will tell you it was unprecedented, excessive and by the standards of evolution-time... happened in a flash. The City of London outside the large windows... GORDON GEKKO (CONT’D) Suddenly the world had millions of new species... just like that. This will be the home of his new international empire. AND BRETTON WOODS At his desk in his 15 CPW penthouse... GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) See -- bubbles are the purest form of Darwinism. ... looking over pages and pages of destruction... Andrew Zabel’s legacy that he now has to pay for... GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) They teach us what we didn’t know and they remind us of what we forgot... And Bretton completely loses it... just starts ripping out the pages then tearing them in two... GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) They kill excess and they lean out the herd. ... methodically... page by page... over and over again... AND GORDON GEKKO Sitting in his massive London office. It’s empty.
It’s night.
He’s completely alone.
He looks up at the wall... at the framed picture of JP Morgan and Uncle Sam rowing that boat. Then he looks down at an old picture of Winnie... she’s probably three or four years old... and lovingly holding her baby brother, Rudy. And Gordon holds on this picture for a long moment, before finally... GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) They actually bring us back to the necessary simple...
125.
... picking up the phone. AND GORDON GEKKO Now in the back of a Town Car... we don’t know where... GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) Because Jacob... As the door opens, daylight spills in and we see the charging bull of Bowling Green Park across the way... Gordon is escorted out of the car and led to the doors of the New York stock exchange. And Gordon stops at the famed doors, takes a moment to regard the exchange, sucks in a deep breath, readies for his hero's welcome and finally... opens the doors then disappears inside. AND WINNIE AND JACOB Greet the morning in their small Washington DC apartment. Winnie pouring coffee, Jacob turning on the TV. And on the screen is a picture of Gordon Gekko walking the floor of the New York stock exchange under the graphic... “Gekko Now Betting On A Recovery.” GORDON GEKKO (V.O.) (CONT’D) ... you’d be amazed what can rise from the ashes. Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” kicks in. And we go close on the Fox Business Channel’s coverage of the market’s huge rally of an opening... with Gordon Gekko ringing the bell... until the channel suddenly changes... to the cartoon network... while we... FADE OUT.
